Lioness of Stormwind
by Vahn
Summary: Fate Stay Night Spin off, Saber is reborn on Azeroth after her death at Camlann, can she make a difference?
1. Prologue

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

FSN belongs to Typemoon

UPDATED! 9/21/14 : Amazingly enough Icura have decided to help polished this chapter up. I AM NOT WORTHY!

Along came another editor, bad assing it UP AND ALL! Thank you Xbox432, he voluntarily clean up this mess!

An editor named Wayfarer has graciously volunteered to edit Lioness of Stormwind for its duration. Not only that, said editor also volunteered to backtrack and redo the previous chapters starting with this one. Thank you soo much! Grammar shouldn't be painful anymore! ^_^ Like I stated before, this is a FATE/STAY NIGHT SPIN OFF and WORLD OF WARCRAFT CROSS OVER! When I say spin off think more of Illya Prism anime.

Lioness of Azeroth

Prologue

***** Britannia, Camlann *****

Saber gasped as she felt a powerful pain in her abdomen. For a moment, she was confused as to where she was until she became aware of the trees around her.

"Your Majesty!" The voice came from a handsome figure in front of her with tears in his eyes.

"B-bedivere," Saber said weakly as it came back to her. Her choice. Her love, Shiro., It was over. Her life was over. It was... a nice dream.

"Your Majesty, please hold on! The physician should be here soon," Sir Bedivere of the Knights of the Round Table cried softly for his noble king.

Saber stiffened her resolve. She was a king and would act in a manner befitting of one even on the verge of death. "Bedivere, I have a task for you, my most loyal knight," she said firmly even as her life force bled from her.

"Anything my king," Sir Bedivere kneeled immediately.

"Come here," Saber beckoned to her knight and saw him approach. Taking Excalibur, she placed it in the hand of her very surprised knight. "I, King Arthur, task you with returning this blade to the Lady of the Lake," she said in spite of the pain and the weakness she felt.

Bedivere tearfully accepted the blade and could not help but marvel once more at how strong his king sounded, even as wounded as he was.

"Go," Saber commanded and saw the reluctance in her knight's eyes before he did as she commanded.

Saber did not know how long she stayed there for or how long she was left alone. Contrary to the bloodied battlefield she was sure she was in, the area Bedivere took her to was warm and peaceful.

'Shiro...' Saber thought forlornly at her once and future love. 'I wish for you to be happy in your life…my…Shiro.' That was her last thought as her strength finally left her.

++++ With Bedivere ++++

Bedivere, true to his words, arrived at the lake with Excalibur in hand. Standing before the majestic lake, he could not help but feel the power radiating off of it. Still, he had a task to do.

"My King, Arthur of Camelot, bade me to return this blade to its rightful owner!" Bedivere held out the sword in front of his face before arcing his arm back and hurling it.

When the sword reached its apex above the lake, the daylight darkened into night and a moon beam shone down upon the entire body of water.

"What?!" Bedivere exclaimed as he felt a powerful force swirl all around him.

**"Vivian**," an angelic voice sounded out. If Bedivere had not known better, he would have said that it was emanating from the sky. Impossibly, a figure cloaked in nothing but stars fluttered down to the lake.

"**Elune**," a female figure formed of lake water responded.

**"The Legion encroachment grows closer on Azeroth. I have need of your champion**," the starry figure announced in a soft melodious voice.

The body of the watery figure appeared to fluctuate wildly at the mention of the Legion before it reformed.** "Agreed**," the Lady of the Lake said as she took Excalibur and handed it to the starry figure. "**I want you to take my son as well**."

"**Agreed**," the starry figure, Elune, said and floated back up to the sky with Excalibur in tow.

Bedivere watched as the starry figure left and just like that, night turned back into day. He looked back to the [waters only to see the Lady of the Lake standing in front of him.

"**You serve your king well, Sir Bedivere**," the Lady of Lake said as her watery form fluctuated. "**You have done your duty, Sir Knight. Your king would have been proud." **She turned away and started to submerse herself into the waters around her.

"I live ONLY to serve my lord," Bedivere said. The grief in his tone stopped the Fae from blending in with the lake.

"**How would you like to serve your lord again**?" the Lady of the Lake asked, stopping in mid-way.

Bedivere closed his eyes. "My lord is not long for this world. I shall go to him, to be there in his final moments." He bowed his head as he began to turn away.

"**Your lord is no longer on this Earth**," the Lady of the Lake said and pointed to the sky where the star being was moments before. "**The Moon Goddess of Azeroth, another land, has taken your lord and my son, Lancelot, to be reborn anew**."

Bedivere turned back around immediately and jumped off his horse. **"**What did you say, milady?!" he demanded, not believing his ears.

"**Your lord will be reborn on another world to fight a new war. My son's last wish was to follow your lord to the ends of the Earth. Thus, I asked the Moon Goddess of Azeroth that boon," **the Lady of the Lake explained softly.

His lord would be alive on another world? His lord would have need of knights like him then! "Milady, please send me with my lord!" He walked to the edge of the lake. "I beg of you, please let me serve my liege once more!"

"**I cannot guarantee you will be as you are now**," the Lady of the Lake said softly. "**However, if you truly want to, I will send you after your lord**." She extended that offer with a smile.

"Thank you, milady," Bedivere said, kneeling happily. "As long as I can be with my lord, I care not what happens to me."

"Surely you will not serve our lord alone, Sir Bedivere?" a new firm voice asked. From out of the forest emerged a handsome man with sun-kissed hair.

"Sir Gawain, what are you doing here?" Bedivere asked as he identified the figure. Last he heard, Gawain was still at Camlann, fighting the rearguard action.

"Our entire army saw a silver ray of light shine upon our King and spirit him away," Gawain answered. "I rode in after it and found you here."

"Then you heard," Bedivere said.

"Yes, and this time I will not dishonor myself again," Gawain said with steel in his eyes. "When next I meet our lord, he will have my complete and utter devotion."

Bedivere did not know what Gawain was talking about; as far as he knew, Gawain was the best of Arthur's knights, rivaling that of the disgraced Lancelot.

"It matters not, when next I see our king, I will serve him faithfully," Gawain said before looking at the Lady of the Lake and kneeling. "My Lady, please bestow upon me the same grace you have granted to Bedivere. Let me serve my lord again in the next life."

"**Your King has many loyal followers**," the Lady of the Lake said with a smile. "**Then the mortal coils you know are now dead**."

Bedivere and Gawain immediately staggered forward as their spirits rose from their body and circled the Lady of the Lake. **"Go and serve her well, loyal knights**," Vivian said before sending the two souls after Saber.

"Was it wise?" an elderly voice said from the opposite side of the lake.

"**Merlin." **The Lady of the Lake greeted him cordially. "**Better that they stop the Legion on Azeroth then here, wouldn't you say?"**

"You are correct, of course, my dear," Merlin said with a grin before looking up at the starry sky. "You were magnificent, Arturia. I will make sure they remember your legend for all ages."

***** Azeroth, Black morass, Stormwind Outer Laying Territory *****

Saber only knew darkness; it was tight and enclosed. One moment, she was surrounded by silvery light that radiated warmth; the next, she was here in complete darkness. Her arms felt weak, and she felt tired. It was like she was drowning. She needed to get out, her pride as a king and a heroic spirit would not let her be drowned here. She felt around for an opening, any opening, and finally found one.

Suddenly and too quickly for her mind to even process, Saber found herself outside in the light. Her arms and body inexplicably weakened, she felt exhausted. That was when a giant man picked her up.

"Well, well, welcome to the world." the giant man said kindly before looking up to face something else. "Congratulations, it's a girl."

Saber was confused. Why was the man talking to her like that and why couldn't she summon any of her strength to strike him? It was then she felt the giant hand her to a gentle looking giantess with brown hair.

"Hello there, little one," the huge woman said softly, her eyes were disturbingly full of affection for some inexplicable reason.

That put Saber on alert. The giantess was treating her like a newborn, but in spite of her suspicions, the woman's eyes were full of warmth.

"My word, she has such beautiful emerald eyes!" a proud male voice boomed from the side, making Saber try to catch a glimpse of the speaker. Where was she?!

To Saber's surprise, it was yet another giant, different from the first one she saw. The giant was handsome as he looked at her with misplaced pride. 'Unhand me Giant!' Saber wanted to shout but found that her voice failed, a sound much like a gurgle made it past her lips.

"Awww!" The giant man and woman cooed at her. "She does not look very pleased at being brought into this world, now does she? Why, I do believe she is glaring at us!" the man stated with a chuckle.

The woman lightly slapped the man's arm before holding Saber to her again. "Oh hush, she's just frightened by all the new sights and sounds! Don't worry, Love, you are home now," the woman said softly to Saber.

It was then that Saber finally made the connection. With great effort and force of will, she extended her arms and held it in front of her face. She had suspected based upon her treatment but seeing the sight of her arm completely shocked her.

"By the Light! Look at how strong she is for a babe!" the man bellowed out loudly while laughing at the same time. For some odd reason, he sounded extremely proud of himself.

"You are so fussy!" the woman chided softly to Saber while putting her face closer to the bundle in her arm.

Saber, however, was still looking at her arm. Gone was the hardened muscle, the firm skin, and all the calluses she had gained throughout her entire life. Instead, all that she saw was a small, pink, and weak looking arm. Like a baby. Like. A. Baby. 'Oh my god. I'm an infant!?' Saber thought, stunned at her own observations.

"Well, what should we name her?" the kindly woman asked looking down at her newborn baby.

"Hmm, my father's name was Arthur, and my mother's name was Victoria," the man said while placing a hand on under his chin. "How about... Arturia?" he asked hesitantly.

"Arturia, huh?" the woman said, looking down at her new bundle of joy. The infant was still holding her hand out before her, looking at it in amazement. She never heard of any baby being able to do that at so young an age, much less a newborn. Her baby was completely captivated by her arm. "I like it, it's a beautiful name."

Saber for her part could not believe what was happening. Then something else happened that shook her out of her thoughts. Something... horrifying. Saber freaked out a bit when she saw a very large breast headed toward her face.

TBC...

AN: Special thanks to Xbox432 as well!

Well, I must say having Wayfarer point out the mistakes to be corrected was simply too awesome to put for words. Hell I went over the story and I felt tired after doing the edits. I can't imagine what Wayfarer goes through... ; sorry!

All in all, this chapter got cleaned up really well! It just read smoother, something I couldn't see before with my own limited skills. AGAIN, this is focused on Saber and WoW, this is not a Shirou story.


	2. Chapter 1

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate/Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

UPDATED! 9/12/14

Xbox432 was kind enough to also come back and help polish this fic. Truly I am blessed.

Thank you Wayfarer for helping me polish up this chapter! He made this fic look good.

Also, this fic takes place during the first Orc -Human war.

Lioness of Azeroth

Chapter 1

**** Azeroth, Black Morass ****

"Arturia!" a girlish voice yelled out loudly.

"Hmm?" Saber inquired, glancing up at a group of girls no older than five waving to her. She still preferred to think of herself as Saber despite the fact that she regained her original name in this new but familiar world. The reason simply being she did not want to forget Shiro. Even now her heart yearned for him; so despite others calling her Arturia, in her mind she was still Shiro's Saber.

"Come play with us. You're just sitting here under the banner again!" one of the girls with curly brown hair and a simple dress said as she tugged on Saber's arm.

Saber looked up at the royal blue banner with a stitched gold lion figure. She did not know why, but she took great comfort in being so near it. Perhaps because it reminded her of home, of Britannia. Still she had pressing matter to attend to, most of which was this group of girls. "I am not feeling so well right now, Tiffany," she said softly, noticing the little girls look at her with concern. "Perhaps later?" she suggested.

The little girl in question, Tiffany, looked at her friend for a second and slowly nodded before running off with the other girls in tow.

Sighing again, Saber leaned her head back on the banner and closed her eyes. In a way, she got her wish despite the grail. She had a new life, a new life under a fair and just King from what her parents told her. Looking at the adults around her, she saw that they were happy, peaceful, even the soldiers from the local garrison appeared to be hardened but friendly.

In other words, they were at peace. Ever since being reborn into this world, in the land called Azeroth, she felt strangely at peace. Looking at her hands she realized that they have yet to take another life, have yet to be soaked in blood in defense of her country. They were clean.

"Arturia, there you are," a matronly voice said.

"Mother," Saber softly greeted her mother as she got onto her feet. Ironically her mother's name here was also Igraine. Not so her father however: his name was Athan, a farmer.

"Why aren't you playing with your little friends?" Igraine asked, concerned as she looked over her daughter to see if she was feeling well. Ever since Arturia had laid eyes upon it, she had been captivated by the Stormwind banner hanging from the center of their town. As soon as she could walk, the first place she went to was the banner. It was named, playfully, by the villagers as Arturia's Rest.

"I just did not feel like it, Mother," Arturia explained truthfully. Her mother was every bit as warm, kind, and gentle as she could have hoped for. Saber truly loved her, as she was the mother Saber never had back in her original world. "Can I help you with anything?" she asked eagerly as she brushed the dust off from her simple dress.

"And get your nice dress dirty again?" Igraine said scandalized. "I think not!"

"I can go get changed," Saber offered with a smile. She had the farmer smock that her father had made for her upon her request. She also loved the man who was her father who though not a King, was as noble as one. At least to her.

"Not a chance, young lady," Igraine countered exasperatedly. Her daughter seemed to spend more time in her farmer smock than the lovely dress she bought for her. "Now go play with your friends," she shooed her daughter.

"As you wish, Mother," Saber conceded with a soft smile. Her mother was forever fretting over her but she wouldn't have it any other way. Standing up she realized that even for her age of six, she was shorter than average. Dejectedly she realized that her height would stay the same in her new life. Still, at her mother's request, she would go and find her other playmates. Why that game of tag was almost like the training she used to do, only substitute hands for broad swords swinging at her and it was just the same principle. "I shall return before evening," she told her mother with a nod of her head.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Igraine responded in a rueful tone of voice as her daughter left. Honestly, her daughter talked as if she was a noble sometimes. Putting both hands on her hips she shook her head, she had no idea where her daughter learned such formal manners. Girls her age were polite, but her daughter took it to a whole new level. Still, it did give her a sense of pride when other mothers comment on how well behaved and graceful her daughter seemed even at such a young age.

Saber was greeted by the Stormwind footmen as she passed through the wooden doors leading outside of its sturdy stone wall.

"Remember, not too far young lady," the footman, a bearded man name Gerald, warned kindly.

"I understand," Saber replied with a nod of her head and walked to Tiffany and the other girls.

"You know, I sometime think she really does understand," Gerald's friend, Franklin, said with a chuckle. Meeting Arturia had been interesting, after all how many six year old girls usually asked about border defense and how far it extended? He could see in her eyes that she recognized the safe zone within their patrol routes and guided her friends within it making sure to gently keep them within the safety zone.

"That little girl is too smart by half," Gerald agreed, chuckling as he looked after Arturia.

"Going to be a real cutie when she grows up though," Franklin pointed out with indulgent smile.

"Prettiest eyes in the village by far," Gerald nodded. Everyone in the village, including the local garrison who had met little Arturia, would agree with his statement. Her blond hair was nothing special as they had plenty of blonds around. No, upon first meeting the little girl everyone was captivated by her eyes. Large, luminous, almost emerald in their color.

"Aye, that she does," Franklin agreed as he greeted the local patrol just returning. He then looked to little Arturia and noticed how instinctively the other children made way for her and listened to whatever she dictated. That girl was the natural leader of any group of children she was in.

++++ Evening ++++

Saber returned home and was immediately attacked by a grown man from behind. Immediately, her body went on the defensive as she elbowed the offender's head.

"Easy little one, I give up!" her father laughed as he backed away from his daughter and held his hand up in surrender.

Saber mouth gaped wide opened then suddenly shut itself as her face lit up red. She just attacked her own father!

"If it does not offend my little lioness, can her father give her a welcome home kiss?" Athan asked with a smirk as he watched as his cute little daughter pouted.

"Of-of course," Saber apologized, father picked her up and gave her a gentle loving kiss on her cheek before setting her back down. "I- I'm sorry for hitting you father," she said remorsefully.

"You have quite a punch on you," Athan mocked playfully grinning at his daughter. "You're gonna need it to fend the boys off with a stick when you grow up," he teased with a chuckle and watched as his daughter stammered cutely in protest. She had no idea how adorable she looked flustered.

Saber did not think she was anything special, she wasn't pretty like Rin or beautiful like Guinevere. Sometimes during the privacy of their bed chambers when she no longer needed to act like a King, Guinevere would tell her how she would have been a beautiful girl. Yet, she did not give it much thought, after all, when the Saxons were attacking all such talks were frivolous. Suddenly she was swept up into her father's arm and placed on his sturdy shoulders, she had been hoisted up like this by her men once before. She made her displeasure known then, and they had never done it again since. Yet when her father did it, with his easy going smile, it made her feel warm inside.

She shall allow it.

"And here we go, to help your mother with dinner! Yay!" her father said running to the kitchen to greet his wife.

"You should go cleanup for dinner, dear, would you help me set the table?" Igraine asked, to which her daughter nodded. Her child was so reliable and mature; why she didn't even need help taking a bath and was able to pay attention to the task at hand instead of being flighty like the rest of the girls her age.

After dinner, Saber slept in her own room, having reassured her parents sometime last year that she was not afraid of the dark. Which apparently only made them even prouder of her much to her embarrassment as her mother bragged to the neighbors about her bravery. Honestly, it was not like how she routed the Danes at Cornwall, now THAT would have been worthy of being proud. She taught Horsa and his Sea Wolves a harsh lesson that day.

Laying in her bed, Saber could not help but let her mind wander, once more, about her circumstances. The fact of the matter was that she had been fighting since she was 10 years of age in a time of constant war, peace, even though she had wanted it, did not come easy for her.

Still, day by day, little by little, the people around Saber were helping to heal her heart. Her village was a small but simple one. Located in what is known as the Black Morass, her village was on the outermost edge of the Kingdom of Stormwind.

The garrison size was only a few hundred at the most, while the population only boasted a few thousand at best. Magic, she found out, was commonplace here in this world, though the only magic that she had seen thus far were from low level magi and the local cleric from Northshire Abbey.

Six years, six years she's been here. Six years of peace. Six war-free years. Maybe it was time she made a bigger effort to integrate herself with her new life. This was, after all, what she wanted from the beginning.

***** Nine years later ****

"Hello Arturia."

"Greeting, Mrs. Audrey," Saber addressed the local vendor woman as she walked down the market to make her selection for dinner.

"Hello there, lass!" Gerald, whose beard was beginning to be salted by some white, greeted the young woman as he too was out and about doing shopping for his squad mates.

"Good afternoon, Gerald," Saber replied to the man with a smile. "How are things looking out there?" she asked politely.

"Coast is clear," Gerald replied, was refreshed just by seeing Arturia smile at him. He was right: that girl did grew up to be a real beauty. Her long luxurious blond hair reached passed her shoulder swaying in the wind gracefully making many men stop briefly to admire her. Her figure while slim was quite athletic, and already he heard about suitors from other villages coming to ask for her hand. 'Good luck, ya wee bastards,' He thought savagely.

Saber walked down the market street, carefully making her dinner selection. After all this time she had finally learned how to cook. She briefly wondered if she would have made Shiro proud. That of course did not mean she was girly in the least. A few years ago she found out that girls could join the military just like the men. It had surprised her that such a society so similar to hers would be so fair with no set roles for either gender.

Naturally she started training in secret, but being a small village, it was not a secret for long. Within a couple of days after Tiffany and Alice saw her train, the whole village knew about it. The only stepping stone to her training was an older boy, ironically named Kay. He had told her that a small dainty girl like her had no business with swords or fighting.

Well, that was an insult to Saber if she had ever heard one, she challenged him to a duel on the spot. With Gerald and the captain of the Guard Johnathan as her witness, she trounced the boy three years her senior with ease. Ever since then, she was nick named the Lioness of Marshal's by the garrison soldiers. A play on the famed 'Lion of Stormwind', Sir Anduin Lothar.

"Arturia!" a male voice sounded off to her right.

"Kay," Saber said flatly. Of course a nickname was not all she earned as Kay, the big stocky handsome boy by her side, had not stopped pestering her since she demolished him in their little duel. In fact every time he saw her now all he can do is look away and blush. What kind of man would do that?!

"I'm- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad," Kay explained hurriedly, his expression pleading for forgiveness as if his whole world hinged on her words.

"I am not mad and stop acting like that," Saber chastised the boy, a bit annoyed. She hated weak men like that.

"Of, of course, whatever you say," the older boy nodded nervously. Suddenly he could look anywhere but at the girl next to him. "S-say- A-arturia..w-would you like to go to the summer solstice festival with me?" he blurted out hurriedly, his face unnaturally red.

"Already promised I'd go with Tiffany and Alice. Maybe next time," Saber replied easily as she finished her purchase of fresh vegetables from the vender. Without looking to see Kay's expression, Saber continued her shopping and left the boy standing still at the stall.

"Better luck next time, eh Kay?" Regina, the fruit vendor, comforted with a kind smile. The boy had gathered up so much courage and the girl just shot him down so easily.

Kay continued to stand in once place not moving an inch, a broken expression on his face.

++++ Saber ++++

'Hmm, I think I have everything.' Saber mentally checked the list in her basket. Out of the majority of her friends she was one of the few that could read and write. For some reason that ability made all the children around her age look to her for guidance.

"Oh Arturia!" Tiffany greeted her friend with a gentle hug. "May the Light shine on you this day."

"May the Light be with you also," Saber recited automatically. They were similar to the bible scriptures she had back on her old world. Tiffany was dressed in her white acolyte robes, signifying her entrance into the ranks of the Church of the Light. Her friend had the ability to heal others no matter the wound. That to Saber was amazing itself, and to think this land was full of people like that... truly a different world than her own.

"So I heard you turned down Kay in public at the market place," her friend accused playfully. "Why did you do that?"

Saber narrowed her eyes at her friend and for once cursed the fact that this village was so small because if Tiffany knew, then everyone knew. "I do not like bullies like him," she said with an upturn of her nose.

"The only reason why he bullied you was because he liked you, ever since we were kids all he could talk about was you and your pretty eyes!" Tiffany explained in a playfully jealous tone. "Did I also mention that he's handsome, and his family is well off? He's the most sought after bachelor in the village and he only has eyes for you!"

"Then you can have him," Saber countered as she continued on her way home. Her friend immediately followed next to her. Her mother would no doubt let her hear it again. She knew that it was almost time for her to wed and then have children. This was the life she wanted... but now that it came time for her to do it, she found the entire thought unsettling. If she wed... then it would be out of obligation not like with Shiro... yet even Shiro was starting to fade, strong feelings that she once had for him were starting to cool. She was not sure how she felt about that.

Was she betraying him?

"Honestly, for such a pretty girl you sure can be dense," Tiffany sighed in exasperation.

The two friends made small talk for some time before Tiffany broke off and returned to the local church while Saber headed home. Of course, true to form her mother was standing at the front door waiting for her. She could feel that another lecture was going to happen soon.

"Arturia," Igraine greeted her strong willed daughter.

"Mother," Saber returned to her mother with a smile as she stepped to move into her home.

"So… anything happen at the market today?" Igraine asked with a deceptively kind smile as she moved to block Saber's way.

"Nope, not at all," Saber replied easily. It was the truth, turning down Kay was routine by now. She made to shift left to move into her home again.

"That is not what I heard," Igraine said as she blocked her daughter's path then stepped forward. "I heard you turned down the poor boy in the marketplace in public!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

Sighing, Saber looked up to the sky and braced herself for the argument she knew was going to come. "He asked me a question. I answered," She explained with a soft sigh.

"He likes you, he's handsome and he comes from a good family. Why not him?" Igraine asked. While she grew to love Athan, it was still an arranged marriage.

"Because he is a bully and I do NOT tolerate bullies," Saber stated with her arms crossed. "Also I am not attracted in the slightest to him."

"That was years ago and it was a children's fight at that!" Igraine exclaimed. The one thing that most people in the village learned about Arturia was she had a long memory, and she grouped you into two categories: either you are with her or against her. Over the years there had been some real bullies but Arturia had thoroughly beat them to the ground much to her father's amusement. The only reason why Kay even got into a fight with her in the first place was because he wanted to protect her. He did not feel that a girl like Arturia should be wielding a sword and set about to teach her a lesson on how harsh it would be out there for a girl of her size and stature. Which was why it came as a complete surprise when Arturia destroyed the poor boy with ease.

"Still does not matter," Saber said exasperatedly. She wanted to tell her mother the real reason, that it was not because she did not find any of the men attractive or able. It was because none of them was Shiro. Still... did she plan on spending the rest of her new life alone?

"You better pick a suitor and soon," Igraine warned. "You are getting too old," she said firmly.

"If that is your wish mother," Saber sighed softly. Perhaps she should just choose any person and be done with it.

Igraine eyes softened and pulled her sullen daughter into her arms. "My only wish, my little lioness, is for you to be happy and surrounded by children," she whispered softly. "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. I am just asking you to please keep an open mind."

Saber's lips pressed together thinly and sighed into her mother's embrace. "I- I will try. You have my word," she said firmly, making her mother gasp.

Igraine learned a long time ago that if Arturia gave her word on anything, come hell or high water, she was going to see it fulfilled. She hugged her strong willed daughter tighter.

"Father is not home yet?" Saber asked after a few moments.

"Hmm, no," Igraine replied to her daughter still hugging her. "Strange, he should be back by now, he has a shorter day today on the farms."

Suddenly the bell rang from the town hall. Saber's eyes widened as she broke free of her mother's grasp. She looked immediately towards the front gate and saw the garrison soldiers rushing in formation toward it. "We're under attack," Saber whispered softly.

"Oh your father is still out there!" Igraine worriedly exclaimed in half hysterics.

Saber looked at the gate and at how the garrison soldiers were already manning the keep walls. "Stay here, Mother. I will try to get some information," she commanded.

Igraine did not know why, but she instantly obeyed her daughter whose sudden demeanor had changed. In her place was someone else completely, a person used to giving command. "P-please be careful," she told her daughter softly.

"I will Mother," Saber assured her mother with a firm nod as she rushed to the gate. As soon as she came in range she saw the two footman that had been indulgent of her as a child. "Gerald! Franklin!" she shouted spying the two familiar guard.

"Arturia! You should not be here!" Gerald shouted at the foolish girl. "Go back home and bar your doors!" he ordered.

"Not until I find my father. He was working on the western farm, did you hear anything?" Saber asked, no demanded.

Gerald did not know why, or how , but the sweet willful beauty that he known all her life suddenly turned into someone that radiated authority. It was as if he was standing in front of a general of the army. The words fell from his lips before he could even stop himself.

"The western farmland was the first to be attacked, only a few survivors made it," he reported gesturing to a small group of survivors that was being tended to by the clerics of Northshire.

"Thanks to their warning we are able to set up our defenses quickly and have already sent for help from Sunshire and Stonewind Keep."

Saber nodded and ran down to the survivor and instantly recognized one of her father's friends. "Glen!" she shouted, catching the man's attention who was on his back with a deep gash on his stomach. "Who did this to you?" she demanded. "Where is my father?"

Glen looked over to his friends little girl and suddenly tears filled his eyes.

"No..." Saber cried, Glen's look told her all she needed. "No!"

"I... I'm sorry Arturia, he wouldn't leave he held those... things back so that I could escape to warn the town, to protect you and your mother," Glenn cried softly. "I'm so sorry Arturia... forgive me for not staying by your father's side... forgive me," he sobbed out brokenly.

"NO!" Saber screamed. Her father, the man who loved her unconditionally in her new life. The man who accepted her for who she was, never once caring if she was not like other girls. Acquired her first wooden sword, then a real sword afterwards. Her father... dead? It didn't seem real. She never knew Uther but Athan... Athan was more of a father to her then Uther ever was, even Merlin. He simply asked her to be her.

"By the Light, those are no Trolls I've ever seen! What the hell are they?" a horrified voice from one of the armored footman asked as he gazed down from upon the battlements.

"A-are those heads they mounted on their spears?" Franklin, another guard on the wall, pointed out in a disgusted tone of voice.

Saber stood quickly and ran up to the battlement walls; she had to see this for herself.

"Arturia! No!" Gerald shouted as he saw the pretty blond girl running up the battlements. "Stop her!" he ordered two of the nearby guards. She did not need to see this... abomination.

To everyone's amazement, the smaller girl pushed the first armored man against the battlement walls, stunning him and pushed the second one off the steps without missing a beat. She was on top of the wall before anyone else could react in time.

"No..." Saber whispered softly as she saw the head of her father on one of the spears. Bracing herself against the battlements she looked at the men who did this to her father, only to find that they were not men at all but instead some kind of green monstrosity. They numbered in the hundreds, more than the troops garrisoned here at Marshal's Keep.

"Arturia..." a soft comforting voice next to her called.

Raising her eyes she saw that it was Kay who was part of the local militia. "Please, go home to your mother and let us do our job," he said gently. "Someone needs to tell her."

For the first time in her life, Saber felt grateful to Kay and nodded. She listlessly made her way down the stone steps and saw the sympathetic look from the soldiers as she passed. Even as she was leaving she could hear the local garrison leader, Lieutenant Johnathan, ordering the crossbow men to ready their weapons and assigned defensive position.

Slowly Saber made her way back home to her house, lost in thought. When she reached the front door to her home Saber stopped. She was hesitant to knock, and wanted all of this to be a bad dream. That was when the door opened and her mother shot out like a cannon and latched onto her.

"Oh Arturia, you're back," Igraine said in relief. "Did you see what happened, do you have news of your father?" she asked, only to feel Arturia body stiffen at the mention of her father.

Igraine slowly pulled her daughter away from her and saw her daughter face. On her face was an expression of pain and sorrow but most importantly, there were tears. In all her life, even when Arturia was an infant, she had never cried. "Arturia?" she asked softly and suddenly she knew. She knew what had happened. Her own legs fell out from under her as she lost the love of her life.

"Mother!" Saber shouted in alarm as the older woman collapsed. Suddenly her mother latched onto her, and she could hear her mother sobbing in her chest. Together mother and daughter wept for the most precious man in their lives.

Saber had been shocked; she thought that she would get a peaceful life. Fifteen years, Fifteen years of peace was what she had and now it was gone. Something attacked them, something not even human. She would make them pay. "Mother, I am going," she stated softly causing her mother to stiffen.

"No, you can't leave," Igraine demanded hysterically. "I- can't lose you too Arturia!" she pleaded desperately.

"And you won't, Mother," Saber assured her as she reigned in her emotion, standing up slowly. "Thank you, Mother, for giving me such a peaceful life. You were more than I could have asked for," she spoke softly, confusing her mother.

"What… you act as if you are not coming back," Igraine said fearfully.

"Keep the doors locked," Saber ordered as she went to the kitchen and took out the sword her father acquired for her. "I will return for you," she said firmly.

Igraine watched in horror as her daughter took her longsword and cut off her long luxurious hair leaving it short up to her neck. "Arturia, what are you doing?" she asked, confused by her daughter's sudden change in demeanor.

"Going to war," Saber replied as she rolled her hair familiarity into its military style bun behind her head with her two bangs framing her face. Looking at her mother she nodded. "Remember to keep the door closed until I return," she ordered.

"O-okay," Igraine complied as she watched her daughter turn... something else then walked out from the door. Her daughter had always had a presence around her, but the one that was in the room just now was overwhelming. For a moment it almost felt like she was in the presence of King Adamant Wrynn from when she was just one of the people in the crowd celebrating his return from successfully repelling the Gurubashi Troll attack.

++++Battlement walls ++++

Saber strode purposefully up the battlement as she saw the town defenders armed, armored, and ready.

"Arturia!" a voice shouted in concern. It was Gerald. "You shouldn't be here," he told the smaller girl firmly.

"I am here to contribute to the defense of Marshal's Keep," Saber replied giving Gerald a look that made him back down.

Johnathan who watched the exchanged saw the girl's demeanor and noted that she held herself well. There was not a single ounce of fear running through her in contrast to some of the militia group. "Get her some armor," he ordered.

"Arturia, what are you doing here?" Kay asked to the girl of his dreams. He was amazed at how she faced down the intimidating Gerald.

"Kay..." Saber uttered in a low tone, for once softening for the boy.

"Yes?" Kay said in confusion at the change in her tone. Then he saw her smile at him, a genuine smile, one that he had wanted from her since he laid eyes upon her.

"Thank you," Saber said before schooling her face and observing the creatures closing in on their keep.

Kay could only blush in reply as he also turned to face the incoming creatures. They did not look like Trolls from the story books that his father read to him as a child, but they sure were green. Still, despite how menacing they looked, he felt like he could take a hundred of them on after Arturia smiled at him.

"Armor for you, it fits," a footman offered as he handed Arturia some smaller armor.

To the surprise of everyone present, Arturia stripped off her clothing right there and put on the grey-ish armor with the blue color trim.

"Alright, Arturia, grab a shield and man the east section. Kay, you go with her," Johnathan ordered as he directed them to the weak spot along the wall.

Saber nodded and walked off without hesitation as the green brutes stopped in front of the gate. She glanced down and searched for her father's head. She swore she would be getting it back.

"LOK TAR ORGAR!" the green creature at the forefront yelled. As if that was the signal, the army of greenskins surged forward as one with a crudely built ladder that latched onto the keep wall.

"Here they come!" Johnathan shouted out loudly as the greenskins were mounting the ladder. "Remember your training! CROSSBOWS FIRE AT WILL!" he shouted.

Saber watched as the crossbow men peppered the oncoming greenskins with thick wooden darts, hitting anything within sight. With so many greenskins down there it was hard to miss. Still, the enemy was starting to latch onto the walls in greater numbers, some of them even jumping from the ladders before it even touched the wall.

Longsword in her right hand and a shield in her left, Saber watched as the beasts started to make their way over to her section of the wall.

"RAWRRRGHHH! LOK TAR!" the Greenskin yelled as a half dozen managed to climb on top. Instantly the Stormwind defenders swarmed toward the intruders and tried to force them off the wall.

Saber saw another bigger greenskin make its way over an exposed area, the other defenders were too busy pushing back the latest incursion along other sections of the wall. Leaving Kay's side, Saber charged at the greenskin and slammed into him with her shield. Her force and speed stunned him, leaving him open for a sweeping strike that lobbed off his head. Striking the greenskin's body with her shield, Saber watched as it toppled onto another one of its comrades. Another green face popped up between the battlements, snarling at her. Without even hesitating, Saber slid the sword into the attacker's snarling mouth, pushing it through the back of its head before pulling the blade out. It was dead before it hit the ground.

Kay watched in amazement as Arturia dispatched two big greenskins easily. He knew she was skilled, but he never realized just how much. He watched as she ran with great speed to open gaps along their lines, cutting down greenskins or pushing off ladders from the wall with her plated boots.

"You there! Get up!" Arturia ordered a resting troop after what seemed like hours of battle but really only last minutes. "This town is depending on you, up on your feet!" she demanded.

The soldier, who had known Arturia all her life, instantly snapped to attention. Her tone and mannerism spoke of one used to command, and as he had watched her fight tirelessly against the horde of greenskins he could not help but feel ashamed. "For Stormwind!" he shouted as he charged back into the fray.

Saber did not know how long she fought, she just knew she had to kill the greenskins and protect the people at all cost. Whenever a soldier might look like he was about to falter, she was there to save him. When someone looked ready to give up, she was there to order them to continue as she charged into the fray.

When her sword broke due to the stress of the battle, she used her shield. When her shield was broken, she grabbed a great sword from a dead defender and used that instead with great proficiently. Saber cut down the greenskins mercilessly.

"They breached the GATE!" Gerald yelled as the wooden gate of the keep was smashed wide open.

_'Mother!' _Saber thought in a panic as the greenskins charged their way into the town. Luckily there was a wall of defenders there, three deep, ready to stop the invading horde. "Huuah!" she yelled as she jumped from the battlement down to the gate itself and swung heavy powerful blows from her great sword.

"What is that girl?" Johnathan asked in awe. His armor was dented and his face bloodied but that did not stop him from seeing the little waif of a girl swing the two-hander like a veteran.

"Raggh!" the Orc he was engaging yelled as it tried to cleave his stomach open with an axe.

"Die greenskin!" Johnathan shouted and shoved his word into its ribcage before jerking it to slice the inside up.

Still the battle was going bad for the defenders as slowly, but surely, the garrison troops were getting overrun. There was starting to be an even number of greenskins and Stormwind footman on the wall while the defenders on ground were starting to thin out despite Arturia's efforts. "DO NOT YIELD!" Johnathan shouted loudly and suddenly knew nothing else.

Saber watched as the commander of Marshal's Keep, Lieutenant Johnathan, was beheaded by a large creature, bigger than the greenskins, its skin sort of a light peach color. She could sense the shift in momentum from the defenders as their commanding officer died. She had to change it.

"SOLDIERS OF STORMWIND!" Saber shouted as she charged up the battlement steps again toward the giant creature. "YOU WILL NOT YIELD!" she roared as she jumped up and sliced the giant creature's head off with a powerful swing of her greatsword. Picking up the Stormwind standard, she held it in her hand much like her flag spear of old and shouted a powerful war-cry.

The soldiers of Stormwind, tired and bloodied, were reinvigorated by the sight of the smaller girl cutting down the giant size Ettin like creature.

"WE ARE WITH YOU ARTURIA!" Kay yelled as he too fought harder than he ever had in his life.

"ARTURIA!" the Soldiers of Stormwind yelled as if her name was a prayer before redoubling their efforts.

"STORMWIND!" Saber shouted back calling upon their love and loyalty for their country. She then turned around and started to kill even more greenskins.

However, there was a limit to all human endurance, magical or not, and slowly but surely the Stormwind numbers thinned out. Saber saw Kay swamped by an attacking surge, then cut to pieces by the brutish beasts. Still she fought on and fought her way down the steps even as the retreat horn sounded for the Stormwind defenders to pull back.

"Arturia," Gerald said as she saw the greenskins starting to swarm through the town and the soldiers being surrounded. "It's been an honor fighting along your side," he meant it.

Saber swiveled her gaze and saw the soldiers looking to her for guidance. Saw the swarm of greenskin spreading through the town and saw all their escape routes cut off. "Take as many of them down with you as you can," she said, staring each of them in the eye.

"That we shall, won't we boys?!" Gerald yelled as he saw Arturia charge into the greenskin ranks. "We gonna let that little slip of a girl outdo us?" he shouted and then charged with his shield raised high.

'So this is how my new life ends,' Saber thought even as she cut down more greenskins in her way. 'If only I had Excalibur, I could have turned the tide,' she thought to herself. "TO THE DEATH!" she shouted and charged.

Suddenly, a loud blaring noise echoed over the field.

Gerald, who was fighting alongside her, recognized that sound. "We're not going to die this day lass!" he said gleefully to the girl who seemed to have taken command of their forces during mid-battle. "You hear that horn?"

Saber heard it; in fact it echoed all through the town with how loud it was, confusing even the greenskins. "Yes."

"That means reinforcements!" Gerald shouted over the noise, footmen and knights in pure black and gold armor streamed in from the outside, destroying the greenskin forces.

"It's the Stonewind forces with some of the Brotherhood forces!" he crowed and pointed at one of the black and gold armored knight.

"Brotherhood?" Saber asked as she watch the knights in black skillfully destroy all in their way while the knights in white rode down the greenskins in disciplined formations.

"Aye, the Brotherhood of the Horse, Stormwind's most elite fighting force," Gerald said proudly. "The strongest in the world!" he bragged as he waved to the black armored rider.

Saber had to admit, they were well armed, efficient, and brutal. The greenskins fell to them with such ease from their battle tactics. They were elite, almost as good as her knights of the round table. It was then that one of the cavalry caught sight of her and galloped at a dead speed toward her.

Saber watched as the Brotherhood Knight stopped his steed right in front of her and dismounted. He seemed to be searching her with his eyes as he towered over her. So it was to her shock when he took off his helmet that she recognized his face.

Long dark hair framing a handsome rugged face smiling at her with that arrogant smile of his. Her one time best friend, her one time enemy. "Lancelot?" Saber asked in disbelief.

Eyes shining in merriment, he smiled at her. "At your service, my King," Lancelot pledged with a deep, respectful bow.

TBC.

A/N: It doesn't matter here as it has been updated! Those who actually read it before already know where I stand. :D

This is written for fun and for those that like it, cool, for those that don't I am sorry. Also, one might ask how Saber will get into the proper WC world? Three words, Time Travel Bullshit. :D

As always C+C appreciate, Reviews welcome.


	3. Chapter 2

Lioness of Stormwind

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate/Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

UPDATED! 9/12/14: Xbox432 said, since he was such a bad ass mutha...well he did this chapter too!

UPDATED 8/29/14: Thank you to Wayfarer for volunteering to edit this fic and all future chapters of this story! I cannot thank you enough!

Also, this fic take place during the first Orc -Human war.

Chapter 2

**** Azeroth, The Black Morass ****

Saber could not believe her eyes, before her was her most trusted friend and the person who was the catalyst for the destruction of her kingdom. "Lancelot..." she said softly, taking in the sight.

"Arturia, you know a Brotherhood Knight?" Gerald asked. He can't ever recall Arturia having met anyone like the handsome knight before him. It was also strange that he called Arturia "King".

"Arturia?" Lancelot said as if tasting the name on his lips before smiling. "Not Arthur?" he asked, looking at the footman next to his King. The way the footman looked at him as if he was stupid only made him grin wider.

Suddenly a horn blared out and a loud cheer went up as the greenskins were driven off. Saber watched as Lancelot gave her a nod before wheeling his horse around and rejoining his battle formation.

"Not Arthur?" Gerald parroted in a confused tone. He looked at the blond girl he knew all his life and failed to see how anyone could mistake her for a boy.

"We should secure the town and find the highest ranking soldier left in our garrison, you must coordinate the effort," Saber commanded, not wanting to answer Gerald's inquires. Lancelot calling her King in front of company was quite tactless.

"R-right," Gerald responded and snapped a salute before going to form smaller squads to search for wounded and survivors. It wasn't until he was midway through coordinating his efforts with the other soldiers that he realized he obeyed Arturia as if he would any superior.

Saber took her longsword and sheathed it, she wasn't even sure who it belonged too but it should serve for now. The effort to look for the survivors now fell upon Gerald and the newly arrived troops. For now she will go back home since she had no authority here.

"Arturia! Thank the Light you are alright!" Igraine exclaimed as she rushed out to her daughter. She stopped short as she took in her daughter's appearance. Her blond hair had a tint of red in it and looked a bit disheveled, while the armor she wore showed dents ina multitude of places, proof that she had been fighting. What concerned her the most was the blood splattered all over the once greyish armor of Stormwind.

Saber looked up at her mother then look down to see what she was looking at. "Oh, do not worry mother. It's all theirs," she reassured her mother and started to unclasped the breast plate to show her mother her uninjured skin. "See?"

"Oh Arturia!" Igraine broke down and embraced her short daughter tightly. "It looked so hopeless out there, I was afraid I had lost you too," she whispered softly.

"Stonewind and Sunshire sent reinforcements," Saber explained as she enjoyed her mother's embrace.

"So we are safe?" Igraine asked, looking at her daughter.

"We are," Saber confirmed, recalling Lancelot. "We have some of the finest Knights out there, they will not fail us."

With that, the mother led her daughter inside where she helped her take off her armor and gave her a cleaner set of clothes. "I will go get some water since it's safe now," Igraine said before leaving her home, leaving Saber by herself.

Saber nodded and found herself alone in her home watching as the sun started to set. The battle had taken its toll, and a sudden wave of fatigue hit her. Without Avalon to constantly rejuvenate, her she found herself not as relentless like she once could be. After closing her eyes to rest for a brief moment, when she opened it to find that it was night out and that she had a blanket over her. She made to move when she felt a body weight leaning on her.

It was her mother.

"Mmm Athan..." Igraine mumbled in her sleep softly as tears leaked from her eyes as she started shaking.

Saber looked at her mother and slowly embraced her who instantly subsided at her daughter's touch. "I'm sorry mother," Saber whispered softly as she stroked her mother's hair. Leaning her chin on top of her mother's head she closed her eyes.

Had she still been King she would have been out there meeting with the rank soldiers to coordinate any relief effort. As it stood, she's just a civilian and so allowed herself a moment's respite.

+++++ Morning ++++

Saber woke up to the smell of frying bacon and blearily blinked away her tiredness.

"Good morning, Arturia," Igraine greeted with a smile. When she woke up with her daughter's arms embracing her protectively, she couldn't help but be moved. Just who was supposed to be the guardian here?

"Good morning," Arturia replied formally as she got up to wash her face from the well they had in the back. When she came back in she was surprised to find her friend Tiffany in her home. The girl was in her white acolyte robes that looked worse for wear and had a stressed look to her appearance but otherwise appeared unharmed.

"Arturia!" Tiffany shouted excitedly, and ran to hug her friend. "The whole town has been talking about you!" she exclaimed, looking at her friend with something akin to awe.

"Why?" Saber didn't do anything unusual.

"Why?!" Tiffany looked at her friend incredulously. "Everyone is talking about your actions during the defense of our town!"

"Why?" Saber responded with a curious expression. "All I did was help defend our town. I was able bodied," she explained and saw the look her friend gave her. It was one she recognized, it was the same one she used to give Shiro when he said or did something stupid.

"Helped?" Tiffany shouted in incredulity. "According to the soldiers, you single handedly took command after Captain Johnathan fell in battle and rallied the rest."

"They exaggerate," Saber huffed. Soldiers were telling tall tales again. "I was there at the wall to help defend and made a few suggestion of encouragement at best."

"You did more than that, lass," Gerald interjected from the door way. He looked to Igraine for permission to enter and received a nod.

"Gerald, things are going smoothly?" Saber asked curiously.

"Yes milady," Gerald replied with an exaggerated bow. "I did as you commanded," he stated with a wry grin.

"You are making fun of me," Saber chastised the older man in an embarrassed tone, blushing.

"On the contrary, I am giving you the highest amount of respect possible," Gerald explained seriously. "The Knight Commander wants to speak with the person in charge of our garrison, see they were worried they would not make it to Marshal's Keep in time so they fell back near Redridge pass to start fortifying the area."

Saber recalled that the Black Morass was connected to the rocky area of Karazhan called Deadwind Pass due to the recent lack of growth there, but the populace was reassured that the Arch mage Medivh was on the job. While up north was Sunshire and Lakeshire two other bastions of Stormwind's might, but one that lacked natural defenses like Deadwind's Pass.

"So that was why they took so long to arrive?" Igraine asked a bit angrily. "They had written us off for dead?"

"Their scouts reported that the greenskin forces were too large for them to make it here in time," Gerald pointed out as he stroked his chin. He saw Arturia nodding her head in understanding.

"So what prompted them to come to us anyway?" Saber asked, curious. It was something she had done before, throw away a town so that she could fight from a better position. She had done what she had to do; it was either save one town and lose ten or sacrifice the one for the greater whole.

Gerald then suddenly grinned. "Well that little Missy is where you came in," he replied to a startled Arturia. "As you know Marshal's Keep is the most outer lying town. When our scouts went to get reinforcement they warned our neighbors, who then fortified their villages and prepared for an invasion also."

"Make sense," Saber reasoned as she shifted in her seat. "But that does not explain why I am accredited anything," She gave Gerald a perplexed look with her emerald eyes.

"It is because we are the most outlying town that the hammer struck here first. However, after an hour the other towns had sent scouts to see that we were still fighting the greenskins and started to evacuate their towns and headed for Redridge pass," Gerald said grinning.

"Those cowards!" Tiffany shouted angrily. She had visited those towns and knew some of the people there, for them to just leave while her town was under attack. She felt betrayed.

"It's not cowardice," Saber spoke up in a commanding tone, silencing her friend who stared at her in surprise. "They did the right thing: evacuating the citizens was more important."

"Still think that's a crappy thing to do," Tiffany grumbled under her breath but quailed under Arturia's look. Was she always that intimidating?

"Their soldiers came back for us once their people were safe, how else do you think they were able to turn back a force of that size," Gerald explained to a now mollified Tiffany.

"Still waiting for why I am in this discussion at all," Saber piped in patiently as she drank some tea her mother served her.

Tiffany and Gerald exchanged a glance at the casual way Arturia accepted the tea and appeared to dismiss her mother from the conversation. It was almost like she was a noble.

"It's because Lord Knight Armin had expected to fight an invading force at Redridge pass while the Brotherhood forces were waiting at Deadwind," Gerald said and started to puff out his chest proudly. "Well, imagine his surprise when the majority of the citizenry he had written off as dead came flooding through."

"Hmm." Saber looked contemplatively at the tea inside her cup. "He's an honorable man then," she said finally.

Gerald smiled at her deductive reasoning.

"Wait, I don't get it," Tiffany chimed in, lost by the intricacy of the two before her.

"His task was complete," Saber explained. "He did not have to come back for us at all, if anything we granted him a boon for holding out so long. By coming in to help us he was gambling on the fact that we were still here. It was a risky decision as he could have arrived at a town taken over by the greenskins."

"Exactly, young lady," a rough booming voice said from the doorway, revealing a tall broad shouldered man with long brown cloak and black heavy armor which signaled his affiliation with the Brotherhood Knights. "And one that I was honor bound to take regardless of the consequences,"

"Knight Commander," Gerald saluted and stood at attention along with two of the women in the household.

Saber stood up out of respect also but felt she needed to reply. "Still a foolhardy decision, had we been overrun you would have had to fight a retreating action at great cost," she countered. She did not see the shocked expressions from her friends and family at how she talked to such a high ranking official as an equal.

"It was all of the militia forces in the area that volunteered to come back for your town so it's a moot point now," Armin agreed with an easy smile as he looked at Arturia from head to toe. "So you are the angel of the battlefield, huh. They were right about your beauty," he said and then bowed to her.

"I am afraid I am not well versed in courtly etiquette," Saber replied. 'From here that is,' she added silently.

"No matter," Armin brushed it off easily. He would not be offended by any breach of etiquette. "I just wanted to see the Angel of the battlefield with my own eyes, pretty thing isn't she, Lancelot?" he asked while looking behind him as another knight entered the door way.

Tiffany instantly had hearts in her eyes as the knight gave her a winsome smile.

"A bit underdeveloped," Lancelot answered with amusement in his eyes. "But should grow up to be quite a beauty."

Saber narrowed her eyes at her former first knight who replied with a broad smile.

"My, my, I like her even more now!" Armin burst out with a boisterous laugh. "The first girl I have ever witnessed who did not swoon over your looks!"

"I believe Arturia is no ordinary maiden," Lancelot defended with an amused smirk still gracing his face. "But Commander, a word outside if you please," he said softly as he walked out with his superior.

"Arturia," Igraine gushed to her daughter. "That gentlemen is interested in you and such a handsome knight at that!" she swooned.

"No fair!" Tiffany cried bitterly."Why do all the boys like you?"

"Mother, I love you but I will tell you this now," Saber growled in a low deadly tone, stunning everyone with her ferocity. "I would never, in a thousand years, ever consider anyone like him. EVER."

Tiffany and Igraine looked at Arturia as if she was crazy. Gerald could not help but smile at the girl's declaration, the guy who wins her heart will be one lucky person. Then of course there was that odd thing Sir Lancelot said last night.

"You know now it kind of make sense," Igraine said suddenly. "Mrs. Baker and Lordue came here earlier to drop off our milk and some of the bacon we're having. They refused to take my coin as payment."

'Tribute?' Saber thought to herself. She was interrupted from any further speculation when Lancelot and Armin returned with serious expressions on their faces. "What is the matter?" she demanded.

Armin was about to reply when he stopped himself. He looked at the blond girl with something akin to puzzlement. He couldn't understand why he was about to actually explain the situation or even why he had to but his fellow knight had no such qualms.

"A massive horde of greenskins is marching a half day out from here," Lancelot responded in a professional manner, looking at Arturia. "Our scouts said their number were at least in the ten thousands."

"So this was the vanguard," Saber concluded and slowly looked at Lancelot. "We need to evacuate everyone immediately while we still have time, the two thousand or so we have here is a mere pittance against something of that size."

"It is as you said," Lancelot bowed then turned to look at Armin. "Orders, milord?" he asked.

Armin, like the rest of the others, was stunned by Arturia's grasp of the situation and suggestion. "Do as she says," he ordered numbly. He then turned around and gave the blond hair girl a good look again.

"Yes, Sir Knight?" Saber asked. She did not feel like addressing anyone as milord. Something in her wouldn't let her.

"If I gave you command of the local militia forces, can you lead them?" Armin asked, looking at her as if searching for something. "They are not like the garrison troops that we have," he said tactfully.

"They are not as disciplined as trained troops like Gerald, you mean," Saber pointed out.

Armin laughed. "Why am I not surprised anymore? I will have it ordered, Militia Commander Arturia."

Lancelot of course would not let it go and had to go inside one more time to look at his King. "Well from the looks of it, I will be serving you again in no time," He smirked before bowing respectfully low to Arturia and left.

"Good luck, lass," Gerald said as he too marched out.

Saber closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Just like that she was pulled out of her peaceful life and thrust into a position of command. In her old life, she had been prepared for it, trained for it, wanted it because it was her duty. Yet, in this strange new world, she was free to choose and found herself once more at the crossroads. Was she ready?

"Arturia," Igraine said coming up behind her daughter. She recognized the look on her face. "Whatever you do, I will support it," she stated simply.

Saber glanced at her mother and wondered if she was so transparent. "Mother, when you get to Lakeshire, will you be able to stay with Aunt Cecilia?"

"Of course," Igraine said with a smile as she saw the decision on her daughter's face and pulled the surprised girl into a tight hug. "Your father would have been so proud of you," she said as she freed Arturia from her embrace.

"I miss father too," Saber replied softly, her mother had pretty much said she would be okay. "If you need coin, write me," she ordered.

"Yes, my little Arturia," Igraine whispered as she watched her daughter turn and leave with her friend in tow. Something told her that this might be the last time she'd see her daughter for a while. Going inside she started to pack whatever she could carry.

+++Outside +++

Saber, with her friend Tiffany by her side, approached the militia camp that was on the outskirts of the main force encampment. True to their style they were disorganized and scattered loosely. This just would not be acceptable for any forces under her command.

"You there!" Saber pointed at the bugler next to the Stormwind battle standard. "Give the assembly alarm."

The bugler, a young boy of fourteen, was surprised but obeyed due to the tone of her voice .

A few minutes' later eight hundred militia men gathered, not knowing who called them.

Saber looked at the men and nodded. They weren't bad just undisciplined, she could work with that. "Attention!" she shouted, bringing their attention to her. "My name is Arturia of Marshal's Keep, I was tasked with being in charge of the militia by Sir Armin," she stated authoritatively and watched as they broke out in murmur.

"A young girl like her?"

"Is that girl serious?"

"What can she do, this must be a joke right?"

"Quiet!" Saber barked and watched as everyone shut up at her command. "Right now as we speak, there is a horde of greenskins bearing down on us. Our TASK is to be the shield for the civilians fleeing Marshal's Keep," she said looking around. "For the duration of this task, you are under MY command. FAILURE in this task is NOT an option."

"Arturia!" Tiffany hissed quietly as she felt a lot of the eyes of the militia on her and her friend. "What are you doing?" she asked while still smiling at the hostile crowd. Her friend was antagonizing these men!

"However!" Saber continued and ignored her friend. "Anyone who is dissatisfied of my command may come forward right now and challenge me for it. If they best me in combat I WILL relinquish my command, but if they lose I expect TOTAL obedience. Now, are there any dissenters?" she asked, looking at everyone.

There was a loud murmur as the militia men talked to one another. Slowly about one hundred men stepped forward.

"Arturia!" Tiffany shouted in alarm.

"So you are all who are dissatisfied, correct?" Saber asked, ignoring her friend. "ANYONE ELSE?" she questioned and looked to the rest of the forces. After no one else stepped forward she gave a brief nod.

"Ar-tu-ri-a!" Tiffany enunciate as she tugged on her friend sleeve.

Saber ignored her friend again and turned to face her dissenting soldiers. "Unfortunately, time is short so we will do this the fast way, you ten," she said pointing to the first batch of ten people, "take me down if you can."

The men in question looked at each other, then at the girl as if she was crazy. They nodded to each other and charged the small blond.

+++ Main encampment++++

Lancelot was busy untying horses as they broke camp when the footman that was with Arturia earlier approached him. "Yes, can I help you?" he asked facing the man.

"You know lad, I racked my brain but I can't ever recall seeing someone like you talking to our dear Arturia," Gerald said looking at the handsome knight. "And believe me, I think I'd remember someone like you."

"Ah, is that your concern." Lancelot replied in an amused tone. "Believe me, my intentions toward her are completely pure and chaste," he assured the man.

"How do you know her?" Gerald asked seriously. He did not believe for a second this man had no intentions toward Arturia.

"Let me ask you this before I answer you," Lancelot cut the man off as he got onto his horse. "What was Arturia like as a child?"

Gerald was taken aback by the question but could see no harm in it. "She was a sweet and lovely girl. Very helpful though and very serious but easily flustered by her friends," he recalled fondly. That girl was like a shining ray of light to whoever she talked to.

"So she laughed and smiled?" Lancelot asked softly.

For such an innocuous question, Gerald felt that it was important to this Lancelot. "Aye, she had plenty of playmates, still does," he confirmed then added. "Plenty of suitors too before this bad business happened."

Lancelot closed his eyes and looked to the sky. "Is that so..." he said, to Gerald's surprise, the knight smiled widely. "Thank you sir."

"Wait, what are your intentions toward her, and why did you want to know that?" Gerald demanded as he did not understand what was going on at all.

"The reasons are my own," Lancelot grinned as he wheeled his horse to join the other cavalry unit. "However, rest assured, I want to protect her just as much as you," he said as he rode away.

Gerald was left standing there alone with his thoughts.

++++Militia's encampment ++++

The last man fell down on his back and was about to get up when a shield slammed into his head knocking him out cold.

Saber breathed a bit harder than usual but finished off the last of her challengers in front of a stunned crowd. Composing herself she glanced at the men who were slowly picking themselves up and the other militia members. "Per our agreement, I will now have your complete obedience," she said to the quiet crowd.

No longer were they whispering or murmuring. They were looking at the small blond with complete respect and open awe.

Saber nodded and turned to her friend who had called upon the Holy Light to heal her fatigue. "Thank you, Tiffany," she said and gave her friend a small smile before turning back to her troops.

"Now here is what we are going to do," Saber started, and proceeded to organize her forces in a manner that best benefited them.

***** Black Morass *****

Gul'dan the Orcish Horde chief warlock was per his instructions waiting for his ally to show up. Soon enough a black raven flew close by and took the shape of a small pink skinned being. He recalled that he was told this was a Human. "Master," Gul'dan said bowing low.

"You have failed me, they are ready for you!" the smaller Human told the bigger Orc.

"How is that possible? We had sent a sizable force ahead to crush any villages so they couldn't warn these people you were concerned about," Gul'dan questioned but quickly bowed his head as he saw the murderous look in the smaller being's eyes. Despite him being bigger the raw power radiating off this Medivh was staggering.

"It does not matter! You will make with all the speed you can NOW and break through from here!" Medivh bellowed dangerously and showed a map of the land. "At Redridge and Sunshire borders."

"Wouldn't it be faster directly through here?" Gul'dan said, pointing at Deadwind pass.

"No, that part is now heavily defended due to YOUR failure to crush the local citizenry," Medivh pointed out as Lothar had started to fortify the choke hold lest the invaders brake through, through Redridge or Sunshire it would be more open and even then the main army from Stormwind were still days away. "If you were to make haste now, you can overwhelm this weak spot before they reinforce it."

"Bah," Gul'dan said confidently. "We are the HORDE, even the mighty Draenei fell to us and they were a lot stronger than the pink skin you are wearing," he reassured his master.

"Do not underestimate them or it will be your undoing," Medivh threatened. "Now make haste!" he ordered before turning back into a raven and flying away.

Gul'dan bared his teeth in defiance briefly before going back to the main Horde force. One day, he promised himself to steal Medivh's power and then they will see who bowed to whom.

"Warchief," Gul'dan prostrated himself as he approached Blackhand, a massive green orc sitting on a throne of skulls, in a submissive manner. "The force you have sent to crush the pathetic natives has been slaughtered," he reported to the surprise of Blackhand and Doomhammer, another massive but slightly smaller orc.

"Bah, last time I'll send some Bleeding Hollows to do a Blackrock's job," Blackhand spat in disgust.

"Warchief, I have divined that the best way to catch those who escaped our wrath is through the north road," Gul'dan offered quickly and looked at Blackhand.

"The Western Road is shorter," Doomhammer pointed at the map with his massive black hammer.

"I believe it is the Warchief 'sdecision or have you become the Warchief while I was away?" Gul'dan retorted snidely and watched Doomhammer grow enraged.

"Enough!" Blackhand ordered, holding up a hand to prevent any more bickering. "We take the north road."

"Might I humbly suggest we make haste to catch the rabble that dared defy the Horde's might?" Gul'dan suggested, still not looking at Blackhand.

"Hmm, you are right, tell the Horde to double march, we shall make a game of it," Blackhand said with a grin.

Doomhammer frowned but did not voice his opinion. "As you command, Warchief."

TBC...

AN: So the mood hit me so here is another. For those that are not familiar with WC 1.

Sunshire = Duskwood/Darkshire (WoW)

Stonewind located in Redridge across from Lakeshire (WoW)

There are others like Grand Hamlet and Moonbrook. Might see the others before it's over. I am still not worried about Shiro much, so I'm not even focusing on it. I gotta be good on Saber here and now first. :D

Oh and if some people are wondering why there is no tension about the whole Guinevere thing not being addressed , itwill be eventually when the danger has passed. As for Gawain, yep, he hated Lancelot but he also felt guilty for turning away Lancelot at Camlann according to Fate/Extra and just wanted another chance. He'd still hate Lancelot though so we will see how that works out. :D

As always C+C welcomed.


	4. Chapter 3

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate/Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

Warning! This is more of a spin off instead of a direct cross with modern day. I like Saber and so I am gonna put her in the WoW world.

Also, this fic takes place during the first Orc -Human war.

Special thanks go to Knightwalker for helping to edit this fic! He even cleaned up the speech form Saber and made it more blood pumping in my eyes. :D He volunteered to help with this chapter and all other future chapters!

UPDATED! 9/12/14: Xbox432. There is no quit in him! Thanks you editor o mine!

Update 8/29/14! :

Welcome Wayfarer who put the extra polish on this chapter before we forge onward! To battle!

Lioness of Stormwind

Chapter 3

\- Three days after the attack on Marshal's Keep -

The orc scout, Kuhagron, quietly stalked the pink skin's army, making sure to keep himself out of sight from the ones clad in black armor, he knew that all would inevitably fall before the might of the Horde, but he wasn't stupid. After all, the Draenei wore similar armor and gave the Orcs a 'decent' battle. If he wanted to keep himself alive during the Orcish conquest he would have to remain a respectable distance from these pinkskins.

But Kuhagron had a job to do and his scouts had confirmed that the ones clad in black armor, riding those odd looking mounts, were guarding the front of the fleeing refugees while a larger group in blue and grey were towards the rear, no doubt to discourage any attacks. The right flank, however, was guarded by people who, while not armored the same way, looked just as dangerous and hardened as the rest. Amused with himself, Kuhagron knew that he had just found the right area to attack and while these pinkskins were proving themselves to be more than just simple boars to be slaughtered; they would all fall to the might of the Horde.

All in due time.

\- The Black Morass -

Militia Commander Arturia led her forces like she had always done in her previous life, from the front. Only this time, she was not on horseback. Knight Commander Armin had sent her a war horse but she instead had given it to her friend Tiffany, the cleric. If her army was walking then so would she. After all, a King leads by example, a commander even more so, and this latest gesture solidified the militia's faith in this girl-turned-commander.

Tiffany Lightshade looked over to her best friend, marveling at the complete transformation from the beautiful and strange young woman to a hardened leader that demanded obedience with her every gesture. The past three days had been enlightening, for the brunette at least, as she observed Arturia organize her forces. She wasn't even sure how her blonde friend knew how to train troops, but after three days the militia had become a truly effective fighting force under her friend's command.

"Tiffany, you have been looking at me for quite some time. Is there something on my face?" Saber asked softly under her breath and out of earshot of her men.

Saber was now wearing a higher quality set of grey, plated armor given to her by the Knight Commander. Thankfully, Lancelot knew her preference and sent her a well-crafted, two handed sword along with a one-handed sword, a shield and finally a spear. The sword was currently hanging on her waist, the shield strapped on her back with the great sword sheathed right on top of it. The spear, however, was in her right hand, the tip pointing towards the sky as an example to her men.

The cleric-in-training looked up towards her well-armed friend and shook her head. She had wanted Arturia to take the warhorse but for some reason found herself following the command of this short blonde hero. She would find that there was just no refusing the girl. To Tiffany's amazement, Arturia's commanding aura shifted slightly, revealing herself as the Arturia she had always known and smiled.

"It still amazes me what you can do," Tiffany began, "where did you learn to do this all of a sudden?"

"Books," Saber replied causally.

Saber wasn't oblivious to her friend's reaction; she saw the skeptical look on her friend's face. Yet she was not lying, she did learn from books. Merlin had brought her many tomes on strategy and tactics back on Earth. Surprisingly, the men here were easier to train then those in her home country. Maybe it's because women were also considered warriors here as well that it made them accept her with little qualm. She had found out the men who challenged her early on had not done so because of her gender, but simply did not feel that someone of her physical stature could command. She had dissuaded them of that notion thoroughly. Now those same one hundred men were her most ardent supporters and the first to eagerly take in her new training methods.

While the fighting style may be similar, Saber had to factor in one very important dimension to warfare in this new world. Magic. If they had magic, it would stand to reason their enemies would as well. There were a few magi with the main army and the few that she had with her were more like hedge wizards from the local town. Not very educated, from what she was told, but she would also incorporate them into her strategy.

After all, this isn't the first time she had dealt with magi.

"When did you say we would reach the Redridge borders again?" Saber questioned, having never been this far away from the border towns.

"Another day at the pace we are going at," Tiffany replied. She had once journeyed with her master to Stormwind Castle itself and was awed by the vast kingdom's territory. If one traveled alone, one could cover distance far more quickly, but for an army they moved as fast as their slowest member. "Then we'll reach Stormwind and Lakeshire with another three days of travel."

"Good," said a satisfied Saber, nodding as she turned right and found Mariam, a tall, massive woman who had also enlisted in the militia, awaiting her command. When inspecting her forces, she had found that around a quarter of them were women. Even the footmen were not all composed of men.

"Have you heard back from our scouts yet?"

"Not yet," Mariam replied formally. She was not sure how to address the shorter blonde who had proven her skills by taking on one hundred men, but she tried to be as respectful as possible.

"Strange," Saber mused. While the Knight Commander, no doubt, sent scouts of his own and would notify her if something was amiss, there was something to be said for using the locals who knew these woods better.

"Tell our forces to be on their guard and take up bow formation."

"Yes, uh... Commander," replied Mariam, with slight hesitation, before barking out orders to the rest of the group.

Immediately, the assembly, which had been marching in a strictly linear fashion, switched to a slightly curved formation, placing the men with the longest shields on the more exposed side, the spear men forming right next to every foot soldier with a shield.

It was then a frantic scout sprinted towards Saber that she knew someone was wrong. Snapping a quick salute at the disheveled woman, Saber quietly listened for the report of the messenger from the regular army. "The greenskins are hitting our left flank and rear forces. The Brotherhood have left the front to assist .You are to maintain formation."

Saber solemnly nodded and questioned the messenger, "What is the size of the greenskin's forces?"

"Maybe a few hundred on the left and no more than five hundred to the rear. The Knight Commander believes it to be a kind of raiding force," the messenger quickly replied back.

"Okay, good work soldier," Saber nodded, ending the dialogue, as the messenger snapped a respectful salute and hurried back to her own commander.

Tiffany tighten the grip on her reigns after hearing the report. Her heartbeat quickened before she saw her friend's expression turn to stone, not unlike those bronze statues of fallen heroes back when she visited Stormwind Castle.

Saber turned back slightly as Tiffany watched a forty something old man run up to Saber's side. "They will be hitting us hard momentarily, tell the militia to prepare," the regal Saber commanded as she turned and focused towards the forest.

"What!?" shouted the alarmed man named Logan, the local hedge wizard in command of the other hedge mages. He had been trailing behind Arturia, staying a good distance away.

"What makes you think so, girl!?" he roared.

Saber's brow raised slightly, "They could not have moved to the front of us, as our scouts would have picked it up. And they attacked our flank and rear with a small pittance against the main Stormwind forces. Unless they're as dumb as they look, it seems like their attack on the weaker flank is a way for them to get towards the citizens at the center," Saber explained calmly, despite Logan's disrespect.

Tiffany hardened her demeanor, "I will coordinate the healing like you asked me too," she intoned as she got off the war horse and walked off to the group of civilians who were skilled at healing.

Saber gave a quick nod, walked up a small hill and turned full face towards her men. Logan took a step back as her regal stature boomed louder than any command, her forces halting their march and faced their commander.

"Men and women of the Stormwind Militia!" Saber began, the militia giving her their full attention. "I know many of you are weary from the past couple of days, but this is not the time to rest…" she paused, memorizing the faces of those in front of her, "…we were battered and beaten, losing friends, families, and loved ones…" she closed her eyes, breathing in the cold air as the faces of Kay and her father appeared, "…but this is not the time to mourn, nor is this the time where we consider ourselves a simple militia from a small village, no we…" her eyes opened, the power within her irises glowed in the presence of her own Majesty, "…we… are warriors… knights… brothers and sisters of arms with the honor and glory of countless heroes of the past, linking us together under the banner of BROTHERHOOD!" Saber steeled her voice. "TODAY, WE ARE THE LIONS OF STORMWIND! TODAY, IT IS OUR TURN TO ROAR BACK IN VENGEFUL FURY! TODAY, LIONS. WE. FIGHT!"

"RAAAAAGH!" the militia roared in excitement, the call to arms echoing throughout the swamp and forest as Saber held a mighty fist in the misty air, the sun reflecting against her armor from behind.

~~~∞∞~«╠╬╣»~∞∞~~~

Hiding in the forest, just a few meters away from the pinkskins, Raid Leader Valkor of the Blackrock clan grinned. His plan worked perfectly. He was in charge of a vanguard force, a force much larger than the one sent to those weak, little stone buildings. Five thousand strong, he had intended to destroy these insects that somehow managed to wipe out the entire Bleeding Hollow forces without mercy. Earlier, he had tossed away two thousand of his orcs to make it look like it had been a real attack on their rear guard and left flank. They had taken the bait and are now ready to shatter the pitiful defenses of the rabble before him.

So, it came with some surprise when just as he was about to shout out his war cry that the pinkskins had bellowed a war cry of their own. That had confused his warriors but he was an ORC and a leader. It was too late for them to realize what they had just gotten themselves into.

Unslinging a large battle axe from his back, a family heirloom of his, he shouted to his grunts, "LOK TAR ORGAR! KILL THE PINKSKINS! WE SHALL BATHE IN THEIR BLOOD!"

"LOK TAAAAAR!" the orc forces resounded back loudly as they charged ahead, appearing out of the forest, intending to bulldoze their way through the pinkskins, when they instead clashed into a well-organized layer of shields and spears.

Valkor looked on with stunned amazement as moments before his forces collided into the pinkskins; they banded together and locked all of their shields collectively, forming a shield wall. His forces were not easily deterred, however, and smashed into the enemy's wall of shields and spears only to be halted, their momentum blunted. That was when the pinks skins hurriedly opened small gaps in their tight formation and flying spears, balls of fire and arrows hurled out of their ranks, with near perfect precision, hitting his grunts in fervor.

"KILL THEM!" Valkor shouted in anger as his forces roared in battle fury, only to hear a loud, bellowing war cry to counter his own. Searching for the source, he noticed it was a tinier pinkskin with golden hair yelling, no roaring, in challenge at his forces as she emerged from the formation alone, and, to his amazement, cutting down all who came near her. Then, as if by drawn by instinct, her forest green eyes met his blood colored ones and turned to him, screaming out another war cry as if DARING him to face her.

"THAT ONE'S MINE!" Valkor yelled in savage anger and began to charge towards the blonde little pinkskin. Having witnessed him charging towards her, this weakling dared to charge back! "Come and meet your death, little female!"

His warriors moved out of his way as he ran at the armor clad pinkskin who issued the challenge. Valkor had to admire her spirit, if not her strength. Taking his large battle axe, he swung it around his head intending to cleave the girl in two as she came charging at him. He directed his axe down hard at the golden haired girl only to see her raise her shield arm above her head. It shall availed her none, after years of fighting the Draenei he was confident his strikes would shatter her shield and cut through the little girl.

At least, that's what was supposed to happen.

At the moment his war axe touched the shield, the girl angled her shield against the flat of his axe and deflected it. Then quicker then he thought possible, she had pushed his axe away, drawn her sword and was on him. Moving through his great reflexes, he was surprised yet again to find the steel tip of her blade puncturing his throat and dodging his axe that nearly decapitated her. Knowing he was about to die, Valkor tried to take the golden haired enemy commander down with him only to see her duck nimbly under his swings and caught a glimpse of her blade before his vision blacked out.

~~~∞∞~«╠╬╣»~∞∞~~~

Even as she decapitated the greenskin leader, she noticed two of the beasts charge towards her. Drawing the great sword from her back, she moved faster than the two grunts could react and beheaded one of them, disarming the other with a powerful shield strike and stabbing him through his gut using the sword that decapitated the enemy commander just moments ago. The surrounding enemy forces too stunned to react at what they had just witnessed within a span of a minute.

"Push them back!" Saber shouted without warning, causing the enemy to jump half a step back as she used their moment of fear and charged back at the greenskins, cutting one in half with her great strength.

"For Stormwind!"

"FOR STORMWIND!" her own army shouted back with even greater fervor after witnessing the downed enemy commander, broke ranks and charged.

"AHHHHHH!" Saber screamed at the greenskin that appeared to be casting magic. Before he even knew what was happening, she had lopped off his hand at the wrist, surprising him before she crushed his head with the flat of her greatsword. Spying another caster, she saw an Orcish spear a foot away from her feet. Snatching the spear off the ground she tossed it at the other enemy caster, killing him instantly.

Feeling now was the right time, she shouted out, "NOW LOGAN!" and witnessed cooking oil and pig fat shoot into the sky, raining down on her enemies. Just as the oil and fat started dropping from above, several balls of fire struck the waste and caused massive panic in the enemy ranks.

"LANCERS!" Saber boomed and watched her specially made jousting spears, held by two men each; begin stabbing into the greenskins' ranks, killing the ones at the front lines as her own forces used this opportunity to advance.

~~~∞∞~«╠╬╣»~∞∞~~~

Kuhagron did not know who started to run first, whoever did was a dead orc. Such cowardice would not be tolerated as he could scarcely believe that his brethren began peeling away. He watched as those on fire were crashing into grunts that had not retreated nor were in fire themselves, causing even more panic within his now inherited forces. Of course, the sound of battle-hardened Orcs screaming in agony was quite unsettling. The Draenei never fought back with such brutality. Then there was that little, golden haired demon that had killed his commander with little effort and any other orc that dared get in her way.

It was then said demonic little girl's eyes locked onto his own and he watched in cold silence, as those little, metal boots began marching to his position. She was coming for him.

He knew it.

Anyone she had gazed upon died.

"RARRGHHH!"

Well, if he was going to die, at least it would be by his own accord.

He rushed at the enemy commander, admiring the way she also charged at him, swung his jagged sword over his head intending to at least wound the little demoness. But just as they came into range, he saw her arm blur and felt the cold touch of steel running through his waist a moment later. Stunned, he felt himself topple off balance and onto the ground, surprised when he couldn't feel his legs anymore. Looking wide eyed at the little demoness, he instead saw his legs still standing in place. Taking a moment to realize what had just happened, he gurgled out a laugh before succumbing to the cold embrace of death.

The other Orcs, upon seeing their second-in-command cut in half, broke ranks and ran for it, taking a moment to consider that they were actually fighting demons of all things.

"Don't you dare run, you cowards!" Brinotau shouted, he was now effectively in command after his commander and the second-in-command perished, "we can still wi-urkk!"

The Orcs looked on in surprised horror as a blade emerged from his chest, the golden demoness killing the talking Orc without him even realizing it. That was enough for them; the third just died and the fourth was dying as they watched him get slaughtered by enemy forces, the fifth tried to run but that blonde devil had just yelled out a command and stood by as arrows pierced the fleeing orc from behind. Everything was a complete mess; they needed to get out of here if they wanted to live.

~~~∞∞~«╠╬╣»~∞∞~~~

"This battle is ours!" cried out one of the militia men, a wave of cheers followed suit as Saber yelled out an order and pointed her sword at the fleeing enemy.

Saber watched as the greenskins ran for their lives even as her arbalesters and mages fired their respective projectiles at the retreating figures. Shaking her head at the rabble, she knew a disorderly retreat would often create more causality and death then the actual battle itself. Though she was satisfied with how quick the battle turned out, of the greenskins that arrived, only half would make it back out alive. The rest were dead or bleeding out; it seemed like these greenskins are not the type to surrender.

~~~∞∞~«╠╬╣»~∞∞~~~

"Arturia!" Tiffany called out, sprinting up to her blood covered friend with worry.

Saber watched in momentarily silence as her friend's hand glowed with holy light, held up towards her.

"Don't worry about me, get the others first. Most of the blood on me is that of the enemy," she gently spoke out with a watched as her friend eyed her for a moment before finally nodding in reluctance at Saber's unflinching gaze. Tiffany headed towards the other wounded.

It was at that moment that she saw Lancelot and his Brotherhood Knights arrive onto the scene. Without a word, Saber took up her blood stained blade and pointed it in the direction of the fleeing greenskins. Lancelot, having served under her for years in a previous life, understood what she meant.

Kill any stragglers and secure the area.

"Haah!" Lancelot shouted as he flicked at the reins, the contingent of black, armored knights following behind and leaving the militia to clean up after themselves.

"M-Milady?" said an approaching, nervous man. He seemed like he was in his late thirties but looked capable, evident from the cuts in his armor. She had noticed him eyeing her earlier and waited for him to approach her since the battle's end.

"Yes?"

"I am Cole, Miriam's second in command," said the disheveled man softly before bowing his head. "She… she… died in battle... d-does that mean I am to take her place?"

Saber had intended to simply answer with a 'yes' and let that be the end of it, in her previous life, she was High King of Britannia; she could not afford to show any weakness. But in this life, she wasn't King. With a slight pause, she tentatively reached out, putting her hand onto the man's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Miriam was a good woman. I am sorry that she has fallen, but I am sure she was content with fulfilling her duties to the very end," Saber spoke softly to the man, who now had tears in his eyes as he nodded.

"Would you honor her by carrying on those duties for her?"

Cole nodded, pausing to take it all in and snapped a proud salute.

"M-Militiamen Cole, at your service! Commander Arturia!" he shouted. Saber gave a slight smile before saluting back at Cole, before the man took a step back and ran towards the wounded to do what he could to help.

~~~∞∞~«╠╬╣»~∞∞~~~

Saber surveyed the battlefield and went off to either help carry the wounded or finish off the dying greenskins. It was just a few hours later when she saw Lancelot ride back with the Brotherhood Knights in tow, stopping just in front of her.

"Any survivors?" she asked, her voice full of steel.

"Maybe a few hundred, we rode and brought down as many as we could, Your Ma- I mean, Commander," Lancelot corrected himself ruefully with an easy smile. He was somewhat nervous that his King had yet to mention anything about his role in his betrayal of Camelot.

"Good," she declared, nodding in satisfaction. She then looked at the mounted Brotherhood Knights who were staring at her through their visors; she could feel the curiosity from their gaze.

"Are you needed by Lord Knight Armin?"

"No, the attacks on the rear guard have been completely crushed, though they did inflict causalities among our forces," Lancelot reported. He then looked at the condition of the militia and raised an eyebrow upon seeing that their wounded was lighter than expected. His comrades had been surprised the right flank held upon their arrival but not Lancelot. After all, it was his King that was leading!

"Good," Saber nodded. She dismissed Lancelot, who, to the other Knights' surprise, took on a more relaxed stance. A no name girl had given the famed knight a command and he obeyed it.

"We could use a few more clerics here for my men, if any section could spare them."

"I'll see what I can do," Lancelot replied with a respectable tone before giving his King a bow and rode off, leaving behind half of his forces to bolster her ranks in the case of a repeated attack.

Saber turned her attention to the remaining Brotherhood Knights, who then professionally fanned out to patrol the area before she could give any sort of command.

'Stormwind truly did make some fine knights,' she mentally noted with praise.

"Arturia!" Tiffany called out to her friend, a glowing ball of golden light in her hand as she marched on over. "NOW can I attend to your wounds?"

"You are finished with the others?" asked Saber, tilting her head slightly to her clearly agitated friend.

"Yes, all those that are wounded have been taken care of to an extent," Tiffany replied testily as she held out her hand and touched her friend on the shoulder.

Saber suddenly felt a swell of energy, not unlike that of Avalon's rejuvenation, heal all her minor cuts and scratches from the battle. She marveled at the familiar warm sensation and watched as Tiffany released her, looking a bit faint from the process. Immediately, she steadied her friend and looked at her in concern.

"Wow, that really took a lot out of me," the cleric-in-training replied slightly out of breathe. She did not think Arturia would absorb so much of her mana reserves despite her outward appearance of no identifiable wounds.

"Then you need rest," Saber firmly said in concern. Turning to Cole, she merely looked at him and he gave her a quick salute, moving to support the cleric and bring her back to the main convoy for rest. It was then she saw yet another contingent of Brotherhood Knights arrive, these ones carrying the banner of Knight Commander Armin.

"Militia Commander," Armin greeted with a proud smile.

"Knight Commander," Saber returned the greeting and watched as the rest of Armin's entourage in white robes dismount from their horse. Immediately the robed people set about the wounded, hands glowing gold, as they worked to finish the healing her own clerics began.

"You broke their main attack," Armin continued. "I fell for their feint but not only did you hold them off, you beat them back..."

"Who exactly are you?"

Saber gave a slight smile, "Arturia, first and only daughter of Igraine and Athan from Marshal's Keep."

Armin and his Knights did not know why, but the girl in front of them, despite her short stature, radiated a sort of presence that towered over them. Her pride was tangible when she said the names of her parents. He had only felt such a presence from King Adamant, Lothar, and a few others before.

This girl… who was she, really?

"What do you plan on doing after we get to Redridge?" he asked, eyeing her carefully.

Saber looked directly at the Knight Commander's eyes, holding his gaze without a hint of hesitation. "Whatever needs to be done," she stated like a matter of fact, "my only concern right now is the impending attacks and the safety of my people."

Armin's eyes blinked at the way the girl said 'my people.' Amazingly enough, the militia men behind the girl who had heard her declaration stood just a little taller.

"Then, once this is all over, I would like to talk to you about your future," he proclaimed, resisting the surprising urge to bow to her.

The girl really did radiate that sort of presence.

Mounting his steed, he gave a slight nod, not waiting for a response as he returned to his position at the front, leaving behind a fourth of his entourage to reinforce her flank.

Saber watched Knight Commander Armin leave, contemplating the growing sense of dread in her stomach. Her instincts never failed her in the past, and it would serve only to hinder her if she were to be in denial now. This new threat that no one had seen before were not like the Trolls the men were familiar with. The greenskins had, thus far, threw away several thousands of their own in an attack against their forces. And yet, she had a feeling that was but a small portion of their true might.

Well, whatever would happen in the future, she would be ready.

And she wouldn't be the only one.

~~~∞∞~«╠╬╣»~∞∞~~~

Gul'dan watched in disinterest as Blackhand ordered the rest of the survivors executed for retreating against these pink skins. This may be the beginning of the Orcish conquest of this land but he had already found something noteworthy. From the rambling of the survivors, apparently a small, female pink skin slayed the leader of the raid group with little effort, making him look like a an Orcling. No doubt this 'Golden Demoness' was lucky and was underestimated by the failure of a raid leader. Well, it mattered not; the entirety of the Horde would soon bear down on this land, known as Redridge, at least according to the one called Medivh. From what that Archmage said, they had a force of about fifteen thousand, with more arriving every moment, waiting to buffer the might of the Horde. Grinning, the Orcs numbered over fifty thousand for this army alone with more coming in through the dark portal every day.

Soon, they will slaughter this herd of pink skins and march onto their city of Stormwind, painting it with the blood and entrails of their fallen.

The Destroyer smiled in satisfaction at his thoughts.

All in due time.

All in due time.

To be continued…

Next: Battle of Redridge

AN: Once again thank you to Knightwalker who actually volunteered in editing this fic! Now if people find anything wrong then PLEASE feel free to offer your service. Just saying that "You need help" simply won't cut it. From where would I find help? Kinghtwalker saw my plight and generously offered his skills for this fic. Which with 5 more chapters written some of them over 7k words... well I would be leaning on his editorial skills a lot! Also a shout out to UNSPACY000 for giving me feedback on the story itself. Thanks!

As for what's going on with this fic? Just wanted to do a Warcrafty escort mission and show Saber's ability. For those that don't know, the Humans in Warcraft or not normal Humans from Earth. That's why Saber can do what she does with the proper training. For those that enjoy this fic awesome, I thank you ^_^

As always C+C welcome Reviews appreciated.


	5. Chapter 4

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate/Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

**Warning!** This is more of a spin off instead of a direct cross with modern day Fate/Stay Night. I like Saber and so I am gonna put her in the WoW world.

Also, this fic takes place during the first Orc -Human war.

UPDATED! 9/12/14: Xbox432 also help made this chapter better , cleaner:)

Special thanks to Wayfarer who painstakingly helped me put out these chapters. ^_^ You are the best!

Lioness of Stormwind

Chapter 4

**** Redridge ****

Saber saw the gradual change in the landscape as the borders of the Black Morass crossed over into the rocky hills of Redridge. True to its name, the rocks were rust colored with patches of green grass littering their surroundings. What stood out, however, was the mass of activity going on in the distance, where thousands of soldiers and civilians were working together to build a five foot high palisade that stretched from east to west. Much like her own world, the military engineers here were not that different. Their current defensive tactics were similar to what the Romans built before their decline.

"We made it Arturia!" Tiffany exclaimed excitedly as she breathed a sigh of relief at seeing so many soldiers of Stormwind present. Finally, they were safe.

"A formidable place," Saber said, having a different outlook of the area from a battlefield commander's perspective instead of a civilian's. She noted that there was a block wide gap for the civilians to stream through safely.

"Militia Commander," Lancelot addressed the small blonde as he brought his horse closer to his king. "Lord Armin requests your presence."

Saber looked at her first knight from another lifetime and nodded. "Lead the way," she prompted. A dreamy sigh behind let her know that her friend was once more swooning over De Luc. She saw the aforementioned knight adorn a seductive smile that he had used to bed many women, Guinevere notwithstanding, and narrowed her eyes dangerously at him.

Apparently having seen the displeasure on her face the former knight of the lake looked away and coughed into his hand. "R-Right then, this way if you please, Your Ma- milady," Lancelot quickly evaded as he saw the disappointed look on the pretty cleric. Unfortunately his king's displeasure over rode any more lustful thoughts from his mind.

Turning around, she pointed at Cole, her new second in command. "Have half the troops rest while the other helps with gathering lumber," Saber ordered.

Cole nodded and gave a respectful bow before he started snapping orders to the Militia forces.

"Lucky man..." Lancelot muttered under his breath. He had waited an entire lifetime for his king to issue an order to him again, to acknowledge him as her knight once more. He could already see the familiar pattern in the militia group, if they could be called one anymore. Like all that followed Arthur, they became hers the moment they began to serve her. Lancelot did not doubt their loyalty to Stormwind but if Arth- no, Arturia, were to rebel then these men would follow her. As for himself, he had sworn an oath to her back in Camelot, and once more when he arrived in this new world, he knew where his loyalty lay.

Saber, ignorant of her former Knight's thoughts, walked toward the biggest pavilion with Lancelot flanking her familiarly as he once did in another life time. "So... where do you hail from?" she asked, curious to where he was from in this world.

Lancelot blinked in surprise at the attempt at small talk by his king. That had never happened before. Ever. Silence had always accompanied his king no matter what, a habit he did not think would ever change. Apparently he was wrong. "I was born to the De Luc's of Moonbrook. Yes, I was quite amazed that they had the same surname, no doubt my mother's doing," he guessed.

"Moonbrook?" Saber mused as she tried to recall the map of where that was located. A moment later she remembered it was in Westfall, clear on the other side of Stormwind territory. Looking at the Knight's features she pointed out something else that was strange to her. "You look like how I remember you, we must have arrived on this world at different times."

"Yes, Your Maj- Aye, I was brought into this world twenty-seven years ago," Lancelot replied. He had remembered almost passing into the afterlife, so full of regret and hate for himself, when his mother arrived to tell him of what was happening. She told him of a new war to be waged, of his King being alone surrounded by enemies. His love for Guinevere had brought down his King's kingdom, and despite all he felt for the Queen it had been a mistake. However, in this new world, perhaps he could redeem himself and make amends for his role in everything.

Lancelot silently reflected on how he had found himself birthed into a minor noble family, the De Lucs of Westfall. His father had hailed from the north, a knight of Lordaeron while his mother was a Westfall noble. The two fell in love and after a short courtship, his father was released from his service to Lordaeron in order to wed his mother. He had been their first son and had an elder sister four years his senior who loved him the moment he was brought into the world. After that he had two more siblings, brothers, raven hair the lot of them. It was a happy family but he knew that such a life was not for him. He had to train for when his King would call upon him again. The only way he knew how was to distinguish himself on the battlefield. Luckily for him, Stormwind constantly suffered Trollish incursions.

Soon as he was able, Lancelot begged his parents to be trained. He was surprised when he found out that there was no need as any child in Stormwind, when they reach the age of ten, were automatically trained to defend themselves. After the mandatory training, if any wanted to enlist in the military they could. He did not want to wait to reach the age of ten, he needed to start sooner and his parents, bless their hearts, sprung for some of the finest trainers in the land. Lancelot bested them all and incorporated their training in with his own 'new' style he had 'came' up with. He was widely regarded as the best swordsman in all of Westfall by the time he reached the age of twelve. At thirteen he enlisted into the service of the Stormwind military and requested to be stationed at the garrison near Stranglethorn Vale, the front line against the trolls. There he distinguished himself and was recruited by the elite Brotherhood of the Horse, where he made a name for himself among their ranks.

By the time he was eighteen there were already whispers from Lancelot's comrades that he was the most likely to succeed Lothar when the old man retired. Lancelot had met Anduin Lothar when he was introduced to the courts of Stormwind during a mission to escort Prince Llane's bride. The older man had a presence that rivaled that of Arthur in some aspects and the skills to match. Though no doubt closing in on the half century mark of his life, the older man had fought Lancelot to a draw, or, to be more correct, he fought the older man to a draw. Lancelot had to wonder, if Lothar was this good at this age, just how much better was he in his prime?

Still, all of that was secondary to Lancelot's real objective: make a name for himself and be noticeable so that his King would call upon him again. Lancelot remembered that his King was older then he was and had deduced that if all remained the same then Arthur would be brought into this world first. While he served the Brotherhood, many respectable nobles wanted to make him their own personal knight. It was an honor that few received, Lothar himself being the leader of the Brotherhood could be considered the Wrynn's own personal knight. Even the Prince's bride had wanted Lancelot to be her own personal knight with Lothar's endorsement. Much to the Stormwind court's surprise, he had respectfully declined. His friends had called him mad for turning down the honor of being the future Queen's first Knight.

While he felt that Llane was a strong Prince, and the future Queen herself was one of the prettiest woman he had ever set eyes on, none of them was Arthur. Only Arthur could have his loyalty. However, as the years passed, there was no signs of Arthur evident, no warrior, male or female, matching his deeds. Lancelot had despaired when he turned twenty-five for several reasons. The first was that he had served throughout the entire kingdom and could not find news of anyone like Arthur in all of his travels. The second was the mass of offers he had to become a personal Knight. Not only did the Stormwind nobles still persist in trying to bind him to their houses, but the kingdoms to the north had sent him missive as well. His reputation had grown even more when he had traveled north for the Knights' Summit and bested every knight in the northern kingdoms. Thankfully his trip north lead him to his sword, Arondight, that was guarded by ghoulish spirits near Elven territory. Lancelot had a feeling that his mother was behind its reappearance, but he was not one to deny such fortune. While the maidens' favors he accepted, the majority of the nobles of the north were a self-serving bunch. He had been glad to leave the north and return south.

They had been on their way from Stonewind Keep when word came in of some incursion to the south. His commander quickly took charge of the situation and rode out with the Brotherhood to repel the invaders. What they found were refugees escaping from the Black Morass, after making sure the citizenry was safe, the Brotherhood set forth, honor bound to rescue the last village if it still held. While his first encounter with a Troll had been an eye opener and example of one of the many dangerous races here on Azeroth, the greenskins were a different lot. They were bigger and felt more menacing. Upon the rescue force's arrival, they had seen the greenskins swarming the town walls and had rushed in to save any survivors. It was there that he received the biggest surprise of his life.

His King, Arthur, was in the thick of the fray slaying a greenskin that towered over her. The expression on her face was the very same one he remembered from so long ago and for a moment he saw King Arthur of Camelot with Excalibur in hand, destroying the Danes on the Saxon's Shores. It took him only a moment to match his King's features with what he recalled. His King still had the same youthful look she always had. A different set of battle armor adorned her body, and she possessed a sword that was not Excalibur on the verge of breaking. Finally, he would get his second chance. If his King did not forgive him and wanted him dead, then so be it. He awaited his King's verdict, he just wished that his King gave some signs of broaching the subject.

"Sir Lancelot, is this the girl?" a Brotherhood Knight asked in front of the battle pavilion as he gave Lancelot a salute.

"It is," Lancelot nodded as the knight chivalrously raised the curtain aside so that Arturia could enter.

Saber acknowledged the gesture and walked in to see several people crowded around a map. The first figure that stood out the most to her was an older male. The reason why he stood out was because of his style of dress. He reminded her of Merlin with his heavy robes and funny pointy hat. Taking her eyes off him, Saber saw Knight Commander Armin nodding to her, a gesture in which she returned. The third figure was a woman in full gray and blue Stormwind battle armor, her helm could be seen placed on the table. The woman had brown hair that framed her face and while she could not be called pretty she was a handsome enough woman. Saber knew right away this was an experienced warrior by how she carried herself. The woman turned up to look at her, judging her worth. There was clear approval in it when Saber's gaze did not flinch. The last was an old man that must have been in his fifties, in white cleric robes much like Tiffany's but only more decorative.

"Militia Commander Arturia," Knight Commander Armin greeted first as he stood straight from the table. He looked at the companions around him and pointed at the wizard. "The rat bastard mage to my left, that somehow tricked his way into becoming an Archmage, is Tobin Snow."

"Turned your hair purple one time and you'll never let it go!" the old Archmage protested mockingly before taking the small blonde girl's hand in his own to kiss. However the girl pulled her hand away before he could. "And you are the girl we heard so much about."

"She's too young for you, you lecherous pervert," the soldier woman said affectionately, though there was a hint of underlying threat to her tone. Turning to the new girl in their midst she introduced herself. "I am the Governor General of Redridge, Mara Fordragon."

"And finally we have a High Cleric of Northshire here, Orlias Cidol," Armin introduced without missing a beat from the banter between his two companions.

"The Light be with you, child," the bald old priest kindly greeted and gave the new girl a soft warm smile.

"Greeting, High Cleric," Saber said respectfully with a bow. She then turned to the other assembled individuals and gave them a standard salute from the Stormwind Army.

The Archmage, Tobin was the first to laugh heartily at the girl's display of military decorum. "Quite the pretty little soldier, isn't she? Hard to believe she was the one that lead the defense of Marshal's Keep. If it had been you, Mara, I could understand. You're brutish and manly. But this girl, she's look more at home near the hearth than a battlefield," he commented mirthfully stroking his wizard beard.

Faster than anyone could react, Saber's longsword whipped out as quick as a snake's strike and was within a hair's breadth of reducing Tobin beard by an alarming amount.

"HA!" Mara Fordragon laughed and slapped her hand onto the map table. "Looks like she didn't take too kindly to your assessment, old pervert."

Orlias and Armin lips also quirked up in response to Saber's strike as the Archmage had beads of sweat rolling down his head.

Lancelot had to will himself to not smile at his King's display of skill and authority. With that one move, his king had earned all the warriors respect and MADE the mage respect her. There were only two kinds of people that faced his King: those that respected her and those that are FORCED to respect her. "Ahem..." he coughed to prompt his commander.

"Right then," Armin nodded, having gotten the hint from his knight and turned to the armored woman. "Lady Fordragon?"

Nodding she stood up and handed Arturia a parchment. "Militia Commander Arturia, Daughter of Igraine and Athan, I, Governor General Mara Fordragon, hereby give you a battlefield commission with the temporary rank of Commander for the duration of this crisis," the Governor General declared loudly.

To everyone surprised, the diminutive blonde simply took the parchment and nodded. There was no faux modesty on her end, no hint of pride of having attained such recognition, nor was there any uncertainty in her demeanor. The girl simply took it and accepted it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Am I to be in command of the militia again, or will I be augmented by the regulars from Stonewind? Will there be mages in my ranks? How many clerics can I expect? What area would you have me defend?" Saber asked immediately. She needed to know what she had to work with now and what part she would be preforming in the battle to come.

Stunned silence permeated the room at the sudden onslaught of questions.

Lancelot had to ball his fist painfully to keep from swelling with pride. "I request my unit to be attached to Commander Arturia to be her cavalry," he volunteered quickly and noted the stunned expression on his Commander's face. He couldn't blame the man, He had never shown preference to serve under anyone before, at least not until now. Even Lady Fordragon, who had once offered him a position as her personal knight, looked stunned by his declaration.

"Uh... Granted," Knight Commander Armin complied as he felt as if something momentous just happened. Even more surprising was how the smaller girl reacted. The blonde had turned to his best knight and gave him a narrow look that made the great Lancelot gulp visibly. Lancelot the fearless, the daring, the scoundrel of maidens. Gulped!

"Please do not acquiesce to his selfish demands. If he is better used at another spot along the lines then feel free to do so," Saber countered immediately. There was a battle coming, Lancelot should go where he would be needed the most.

"I think it would be best for Lancelot to go with you," Mara said as she recovered from the mild shock of seeing a girl turn down Lancelot's favor. "You do need cavalry and the Brotherhood are the best. Your militia group will be augmented by an additional three thousand footman, five hundred Stormwind Knights, four hundred crossbowmen, ten mages, and twenty clerics from Northshire."

Saber nodded as she was already formulating the best strategy on how to use her forces. "And where would you have me position my force?" she inquired of the Governor General.

"We have divided the battle line into seven sections. I will be at section four, right in the middle. Knight Commander Armin will be in Section Three, and you would be in section six to assist section seven in making sure they are not outflanked while repelling any greenskins headed your way."

"Do we know how many greenskins are coming?" Saber asked as she drew the mental picture of what needed to be done at her section in her head.

"Using their magics, the mages estimate the greenskins number at the very least at thirty thousand and could be as high as sixty," Mara stated, looking pensive at having received such news. How the hell did such a massive army amass within their OWN borders? Something was fishy, she could feel it. But right now the threat needed to be dealt with first.

"Between thirty and sixty?" Saber said in amazement. She guessed correctly that the greenskins did have lots of grunts to throw away, but she never imagined that they would be so numerous. "From what I've seen we couldn't possibly number any more than twenty thousand."

It was Archmage Tobin who let out a barking laugh at Arturia's comment. "Pretty, good with a sword from Armin's account, intelligent, and with a keen eye to boot. I think I'm in love," he teased playfully and was rewarded with an elbow to his ribs courtesy of the Lady Fordragon.

"Very astute," Mara acknowledged as she took her glare off the Archmage before turning back to the constantly surprising small blonde. "It is as you said, as of right now we stand twenty two thousand strong. There are several more that might be joining us, a few hundreds from Redridge and maybe a few hundred more form Elwynn."

"We won't be getting any more reinforcements, will we?" Saber asked. She knew Stormwind had more soldiers then this and guessed that they were needed elsewhere. She approached the table map and paid little attention to the fact that the other high ranking officials made way for her. Looking at the map she formulated the most likely battle plan that should occur before looking up at the rest of the group. "How long do we have to hold out for?"

There was once again a stunned silence before the Archmage once more slapped his hand onto the map table doubling over in laughter. "She - heh heh - figured it out -ha!- with just a glance!" he choked out before laughing.

"What makes you say that?" Knight Commander Armin asked seriously.

"Well, judging by how fast they arrived within Stormwind territory, I doubt Stormwind has fifty thousand men lying around at a moment's notice," Saber explained her reasoning to the gathered people. "I would say that the plan is to form a bulwark to blunt the attack here or over at Deadwind pass until the rest of Stormwind's forces can be mobilized."

By this time Mara just shook her head with a smile on her lips before nodding for the girl to continue.

"Then it would be best, in order to give us more time to engage them at the mouth of Three Corners with a sizable force to block off entry to Sunshire, Redridge, and Elwynn Forest," Saber continued while pointing at the location on the map. The part that was labeled 'Three Corners' had three narrow passageways that lead into three separate territories of Stormwind, each with an ideal choke point. "Ideally we would have twenty thousand soldiers stationed at each passage, with a fortified fallback point in the middle. This would force the greenskins to either split their attacking army in three or hit one of the corners full on, in which case, they would leave their flank and rear expose to two sizable armies from the other two corners."

Armin and Mara shared a look with the Archmage and High Cleric before looking back to the girl who had not taken her eyes off the map.

"However, since time is not on our side, we would have to make a defensive stand at the mouth of Three Corners to give Sunshire and Elwynn time to set up their own blockade. And that is not accounting for the fact that Stormwind itself is probably fortifying its position in case we all fail in our duties," Saber finished looking up to the rest of the group and then tilted her head in a way that they found adorable without her realizing it. "At least, that would be how I would go about it."

"It is exactly as you say," Mara Fordragon said, looking at the blonde girl with respect. It was something she didn't think she could feel for someone so young. "We need to hold out for three days at least."

Saber frowned. Three days to engage such a force? In her experience, this wasn't an organized army that marched on their land. It was a barbarian horde. The battle would likely be decided within a day at the most, two if they were lucky. Three days would be impossible.

The Governor General then turned to look at the blonde girl and smiled at her. "It really is thanks to you that we were able to even mount a proper defense. Without your town tying up the greenskin forces, the other villagers would not have been able to warn us of the impending attack. I shudder to think of what could have happened. They could have washed over all of the Black Morass without anyone being wiser and marched on Stormwind itself!" Mara angrily punched the table in front of her. Someone, somewhere, dropped the ball in mapping out the Black Morass. They were told nothing else lived in the swamp besides small tribes of Trolls... well whoever that was made a gross error.

Saber nodded. She knew what could have happened had the greenskins really taken out her town quicker than the survivors could have alerted Stormwind. "Then if you don't mind I would like to get ready," she requested formally as she sought to excuse herself from the meeting.

"You are dismissed," Armin said with a nod of his head. As he watched Lancelot and the girl walk out he could not help but shake the feeling that there was more to the girl then she let on.

**** The Next Day ****

Saber, clad in form fitting Stormwind Grey armor that was covered by a royal blue tabard with the gold stitching of a lion on its front and back, stood gazing at the battlefield impassively. Lady Fordragon had sent her a Knight's greatsword, a large two-hander with an intricate lion hilt design and a blue colored handle. The blade, according to Lancelot, was crafted with high quality Mithril, metal that the Brotherhood uses. She had given it a few experimental swings and found that it was well balanced, it was no Excalibur but then again, not many swords could match her old blade.

So here Saber stood in high quality plate mail, armored from the shoulder down, with the greatsword stabbed into the ground, her two armored hands resting on its pommel as she stared into the distance waiting for the greenskins to come. Unbeknownst to her, she had been magically painted by the Archmage Tobin, who magically created more copies and passed them around the battle lines. Her deeds at the township of Marshal's Keep had spread through the army, and it was because of her growing reputation that the new influx of troops she had received quickly took to her.

"All sections have reported in. They are ready, Commander," a soldier from Redridge by the name of John Keeshan reported. He was a young man of at least twenty years of age with shoulder length hair. He was to be her aide and adjutant.

Saber gave a small nod as she heard the soft sound of thumping in the distance. "They're here," she announced as she gazed with hardened eyes into the distance.

Private Keeshan looked at the incoming greenskin forces and steeled himself for battle. He had been hand selected by the famed Sir Lancelot to be Commander Arturia's aide. It meant he would probably be in the thickest of the fighting if the stories about her are to be believed.

"Soldiers and Militia of Redridge, Elwynn, Sunshire, and Black Morass!" an unseen voice boomed along the lines loud and clearly. "I am Governor General Mara Fordragon!"

Saber looked up into the sky at where the Governor General voice seem to originate from. It was probably magically enhanced. She saw the first wave of green marching slowly and deliberately from the Black Morass, a stream of greenskins beating their axes onto their shields.

"Today we stand united as sons and daughters of Stormwind!" Mara's voice rang out. "Since our founding, all who have challenged us have fallen. These greenskins will be no different! Trust your commanders, trust the men and women next to you, and trust in yourself, together, we WILL break the greenskins on our swords! For Stormwind!"

"FOR STORMWIND!" the roar came from up and down the line as the soldiers banged on their shield while yelling.

The greenskins, as if in response to the sudden roar, roared back even louder, stamping their feet and shaking the very ground the defenders stood on.

"Catapults and crossbows at the ready!" Saber ordered loudly, startling the soldiers near her. But they saw that her command was carried out efficiently even as more greenskins streamed out from the swamplands.

"Mages ready!" Saber shouted and received an affirmative cry from behind the lines. "Keeshan, tell the footmen to lock their shields and brace for impact and have the lance unit ready."

"Aye, Commander!" John saluted as he speed off to do as he was ordered.

Taking her hand off the pommel, Saber grabbed the hilt of her greatsword and pulled it up before expertly turning it upward and raising it high. "You heard Lady Fordragon. You are ALL sons and daughters of Stormwind. Let's show these greenskins what happenes when they dare attack Lions. We will destroy them!" she roared and raised her greatsword higher before slamming it into the ground.

The loud reception of the men around her let Saber know that any pre-battle jitters they had were now gone. Still, Saber watched on as the sea of green bodies moved toward them slowly, unfortunately they were still out of range of her ballistic weapons. It was then she spied more of those massive peach colored things that stood taller than the greenskins. Beckoning Keeshan to her side she gave him another set of orders to carry out.

"Those bigger ones are dangerous! Do not engage them, let the Knights do it!" Saber shouted to the men on the line with her and heard the sound of fists striking armor, confirming that they had heard her.

The greenskins stopped short just outside of Stormwind catapult range before they started to stomp onto the ground, banging their crude weapons against their wooden shields. The sea of green parted and revealed a massive greenskin in dead black armor. It clearly towered over all others of his kind. The greenskin said something to his force before he raised his hands into the air and let loose a savage roar. His roar was returned by the thousands upon thousands of greenskins.

"LOK TARRRRRR!" the big greenskin shouted as he pointed his wicked looking waraxe toward the Stormwind forces. As if some imaginary chain were taken off, the greenskins surged forth like a rolling green tide, threatening to wash away all before them in a tide of blood.

"Steady!" Saber commanded the men around her as the greenskins army quickly closed the distance between the two forces. When they reached the firing zone, she gave the signal to launch the catapults filled with oil and fire at the greenskins as was planned. She then readied her next order even as she saw boulders impact the green tide. "Ready crossbows!"

There were sounds of multiple locking mechanisms behind her. "Aim for the head of the giant monstrosities!" she reminded them as she saw the dozens of greenskins crushed by the stones from the catapults. Yet still they streamed forth like a wave. Just as the greenskins were almost upon their defensive palisade she gave the signal to attack. "FIRE!"

As one, all the soldiers in Commander Arturia's section dropped to their knees as the crossbowmen behind them fired into the sea of greenskins almost at point blank.

"Defensive formation!" Saber shouted as the first greenskin made his way up the wall of dirt and sticks only to be cut down by the closest defenders. Looking up and down the lines she saw the sea of green had started to engage the defenders on the line. "Now mages!"

Suddenly sharp blocks of ice fell from the sky, hammering into the attacking greenskins, killing some right away. To their credit the greenskins simply put their shields over their heads and continued to climb the defensive wall.

"MURARRH!" one of the peach colored giants bellowed as it rushed past the other greenskins, trying to barrel directly into the dirt wall.

Saber moved through her lines quickly and struck hard and fast, beheading the behemoth in one strike as several greenskins moved in to engage her. "HAAAAAAAAAAH!" she roared at them in defiance as she swept her greatsword into the greenskin horde, killing several upon contact.

And just like that the two sides engaged in a mass of bodies, metal armored defenders on one side trying to stem a wave of green on the other. The mages ran out of mana within the first two hours of battle, their Blizzard spells had been the only thing softening the greenskins attack. A few moments later the full might of the greenskins crashed into the Human defenders.

Saber lost track of time as she set about doing what she had done best in her old life, killing. Enhanced by her Prana Burst ability, she rained death upon the weaker greenskins, she was careful to use it in small spurts as to not drain her mana reserves. However, despite her ferocity her lines buckled from the sheer pressure exerted from the attacking force. Suddenly there was a flash of green as something slammed into her knocking her off her feet. The force was so powerful it sent her tumbling a short distance from the front line.

Momentarily stunned, Saber blinked to clear her vision and searched for the attack point of origin. She spotted several greenskins in dark robes moving their hands in a familiar spell casting motion and growled menacingly. The greenskins had mages after all.

"LANCELOT!" Saber shouted, having held back her former first knight for just this moment. "The robed ones over there!" she pointed at the group only to be struck once more by another spell. Unlike the first one which was green, this one was inky black and felt much more vile. While it didn't leave any visible wound it did sting something fierce.

With a blare from their war horn, the Brotherhood Knights, with their heavily armored warhorses, sped out. Section six defenders instantly opened a gap in their lines for the Brotherhood forces as they collided head on with the attacking greenskins. For a moment the greenskins poured into the opening only to be trampled under iron hooves as the surge from the Brotherhood mowed down all in their way. The Brotherhood fought their way past the greenskins and made a bee line toward the greenskin's spellcasters.

Lancelot took one of several spears loaded on his warhorse and flung it hard, its aim true as it struck the body of the greenskin mage closest to him. His companions, not blessed with his strength or aim opted for a different type of attack as they fired their crossbows from horseback at the robed ones.

"RARRRGH!" one of the Ettin-like creatures yelled as it rushed toward Lancelot.

Seeing the creature charge, Lancelot took out his spiked flail and gave it a quick wind-up before he unleashed it onto the incoming beast's head, crushing its skull instantly. Another monstrosity charged him a moment later, but with one smooth motion he unslung another spear from his warhorse and flung it with great accuracy at the creature's head, making its body lurch backward from the momentum of the strike. Taking out Arondight he started to cut at the greenskins around him. Some of them were trying to pull him off his horse while others tried to stab their spears at him.

Saber nodded in satisfaction as the spellcasters of the greenskins had been disrupted. She saw Lancelot and his Brotherhood Knights fighting their way back to her lines and sought to aide their retreat. "Push. Them. BACK! Crossbow unit two and three provide cover for the Brotherhood Knights!" she ordered as she charged head first into the lines and proceeded to cut a bloody path back through the greenskins. Her royal blue tabard was now splattered with blood as was her grey armor, but still she attacked relentlessly. Her forces seeing their leader fight with such ruthlessness let loose a roaring shout as they too surged forward, following her example to push the invaders off their palisade.

Lancelot was cutting his way back to his lines when he saw a massive greenskin with a wicked looking hammer making his way toward his King. This greenskin radiated more menace then any he faced thus far and was accompanied by more of those massive creatures.

Blackhand growled in anger. His force had yet to break through the pinkskin's defensive line yet. "Gul'dan! Where are you?" he bellowed. Immediately his Orc adviser made his presence known.

"Yes Warchief?" Gul'dan said, bowing subserviently low to his master. However he felt the massive Blackrock Orc grab him by his robes and lift him to his eye level.

"I thought you said they were not ready and that we would crush them with ease!" Blackhand shouted before he backhanded Gul'dan and pointed to the armored pink-skins lines. "Does that look like our forces having an easy time to you?!"

"Warchief, I assure you, this is the only defense they could mount against the might of the Horde!" Gul'dan groveled quickly in a submissive tone. For all his magic Blackhand could kill him on the spot if he so chose. "Crush this and all of their fertile lands are ours for the taking!"

"And what have your Shadow Council been doing? The pinkskins own warlocks have caused a lot of death by themselves!" Blackhand growled again but saw that Gul'dan smiled cruelly at his statement.

"A temporary setback great Blackhand," Gul'dan smirked evilly. These mages were powerful but Medivh had taught him how to hunt them and more importantly, how to kill them. "These... _mages_ shouldn't be of any concern to our forces anymore, we have killed the majority of them, the remaining ones would be a nuisance at best."

Blackhand nodded, pleased by this bit of good news. "I see your Shadow Council is still useful for some things," he grudgingly acknowledged.

While the mages were powerful, they were not really working together, not like the warlocks. Using the Fel Eye they were able to ferret out who was a mage when they cast any spells. Several death coil spells later and the rest of the pinkskins mages were forced to pay attention to their attacks, effectively ending their assistance in the battle. The ones in the white robes could withstand a few hits before dying but they appeared to be more like the healing shaman of old. In other words, a pathetic magic user.

"There have been some whispering about a golden haired demoness among the pinkskin's ranks. I want you to take care of it," Blackhand said, frowning. Several orcs had reported that a small armored golden haired pinkskin had killed with impunity all Orcs and Ogres that dared challenge her, many had went to test their mettle against the slip of a female. None had claimed her head. If anything she was claiming theirs and the body count was rising. Already his forces were starting to avoid the area she was in; that was unacceptable. Orcs do not turn away from a fight.

Gul'dan bowed low to hide his face, the truth was he had set a target on her head from the get go but no matter how many Death Coils or Shadow Bolts she was hit with, she did not die. It was as if she shrugged off their spell's attacks. Even his high level Shadow Bolt spell only seemed to make her angrier. The warlocks were at a loss on how to deal with the golden haired demoness. He could still feel Blackhand's eyes on him, awaiting his reply when he spotted Doomhammer on the field. Quickly using the situation to his advantage. He urgently pointed at Blackhand's second in command.

"There is no need Warchief, Doomhammer will crush the golden demoness!" Gul'dan crowed and saw that Blackhand looked pleased as well. Everyone knew that Doomhammer was the Horde's greatest warrior; even Blackhand had to admit it. Yet Doomhammer was not ambitious by nature and did not want leadership. That suited Blackhand and Gul'dan just fine.

++++ Battlefront +++

Saber's instinct told her to dodge left just as a massive greenskin smashed his war-hammer into the spot she was just in and got a good look of at her attacker. The first thing that stood out to her was that the greenskin was bigger than the rest of his kin. In fact it was almost as big as the peach monstrosities. Unlike the others of his kind, this greenskin was silent. Its assessing eyes were not filled with the familiar savagery but instead with intelligence. It opened its mouth to say something in its bestial language, then pointed to itself and said "Doomhammer" in Common. How did this creature learn Common?! What did it mean by Doomhammer? Was it the creature's name or title? Or was it the creature's class, like a Servant? Was it meant to be intimidating?

Looking at it warily, Saber pointed to herself and replied. "Saber." Opting instead to give it her classification as well.

"Saber... " the creature, Doomhammer, mouthed out in an unnatural way before laughing in amusement.

Tightening the grip of the greatsword in her hand, Saber swung the two hander at the creature's head, forcing it to dodge at the last second. Quickly she angled her strike away from it and turned it in another direction to lob off the head of one of the peach monsters accompanying it.

"Saber!" Doomhammer growled savagely before charging the smaller girl.

"Doomhammer!" Saber shouted swung her greatsword in a wide arc and struck the greenskin behemoth with all her strength and was surprised to see 'Doomhammer' had stopped the attack with its hammer. Though it did show some strain of having to stop her blow. The Greenskin then pushed her sword away and moved quickly to cave her head in.

Instead of dodging back, Saber moved forward and punched its exposed flesh with her plated fist, staggering it slightly, even as she was struck with the back of its hand in retaliation. It felt like she was hit by Berserker all over again. Recovering quickly from the attack, she closed the distance between them only to jump up at the last possible moment before hammering her greatsword at its head.

Doomhammer, to his credit, reacted swiftly and swung his hammer up quickly with equal force, the impact from both of their blows shook both combatant's arms but the greenskin was still physically stronger.

Saber did not have Avalon and so it took her a bit longer to recover. By the time she did the greenskin had charged her with its arms still shaking and bulldozed her into the ground.

Crashing onto the ground with the golden haired demoness, Doomhammer rolled on top of the girl ready to smash her head like a ripe melon fruit.

Saber saw the greenskin arc its hammer over its head and knew that she could not stop the momentum even if she could bring her greatsword up to block it. For a split second she wished she had worn her helmet because of what she had to do next. Saber released her grip on her greatsword, grabbed the armor of the greenskin by its shoulders cuirass and pulled it down toward her taking it off balance. Then she did something else that took it by surprise.

She smashed her head into its mouth. Hard.

The creature, stunned by the pain, did not resist when Saber pushed it off of her to roll away. She grabbed her greatsword before rolling to her feet, holding in a defensive stance. Already her vision was tinted red, Saber knew she probably had a gash on her forehead and watched the greenskin recover as it focused its attention back onto her. Its mouth was bleeding a copious amount of blood, and it actually spat out a few of its teeth before gazing at her with murderous intent.

"Come get me then!" Saber taunted as she charged the greenskin. She put all of her strength behind the next swing even as she saw the greenskin doing the same with its hammer. Then with a mighty roar that startled her own soldiers and the fighting greenskins, she swung her sword at Doomhammer with all her might.

Hearing the little female give a roar worthy of a warrior, Doomhammer roared back in kind as he swung his hammer to meet the golden haired demoness' blade.

The two weapons each met each other at the apex of their attacks, the sharp edge of Saber's greatsword met the blunt edge of Doomhammer's maul. However much Saber had wished it, the greatsword, though well made, was not Excalibur and so was no match for the ancient warhammer blessed by powerful Orc Shaman's from throughout the ages.

Saber saw the blade of her greatsword shatter, its metal shards seemingly hanging in midair for a moment before flying everywhere. Some of it struck the exposed flesh of the greenskin. Several even punched into her plate, she saw that the greatsword had been reduced to one third of its size. She held it up to block the next attack she knew was coming. Her body flew several feet across the field. She saw that the final part of her greatsword had shattered from Doomhammer's follow up attack, leaving only the hilt in her hand. Saber's arms were numb from absorbing the block and was slow to react.

Doomhammer roared as he charged the golden haired demoness and swung his hammer down with as much force as he could muster, intent on crushing the girl, only to see a blade as black as night blocking his attack.

"Lancelot!" Saber identified, having recognized Arondight in front of her and looked up to see the straining face of her Knight. She quickly rolled away as the two started to engage in combat. Feeling the sensation returning to her arms, she picked up a shield from a dead footman and a longsword from a dead militia man and charged back into the fray.

Lancelot was skilled, that much he knew, but besides a few here in this world none could match the daily training and sparring sessions he used to have with the Knights of the Round. As such, he found himself hard pressed to match this greenskin in combat. The blows from its wicked looking hammer were making his arms feel numb. He was grateful that Arondight was a special Fae sword that was equal to that of Excalibur. Out of the corner of his eye, Lancelot saw another of the Ettin sized creatures charge at him. Clearly it wanted to turn the even match in the greenskin's favor, and it would have too had his King not intercepted the creature.

"Focus on him, Lancelot!" Saber ordered as she struck into the creature's head, shield then ramming the longsword in its jugular, killing it instantly. She rode the momentum of the dead creature down and turned around to smash the shield into another greenskin's face before piercing its heart with her blade.

Lancelot saw the greenskin before him looking at his King fighting ferociously and shouting encouragement to the Stormwind faltering lines with a respectful expression on its face. Taking advantage of the greenskins lapse in attention, he separated himself from it to give him some space. "You will fine she does not go down easy, greenskin."

Though the greenskin did not comprehend the words it did understand Lancelot's tone. With a roar as it prepared to charge the knight again, a loud horn blared across the field, one Lancelot recognized. It was the Brotherhood war horn, turning around he shouted. "We should fall back to our lines and hold there!"

Saber nodded as she helped the soldiers engaged on the battlefield fall back to their fortification. It was from this angle that she saw an army of black armored Knights crash directly into the greenskin's flank and continue to ride through, undeterred, by the bodies in the way. Apparently that was the straw that broke the greenskin's resolve. Stonewalled by the Stormwind defenders for most of the day and now being mowed down by the Brotherhood Knights, the greenskins broke and ran away in a disorderly fashion.

Lancelot saw the greenskin look at the armored Knights riding his way and muttered something in its guttural language. With an angry shout it too took one last swing at Lancelot before falling back and running toward the forest. He saw the Brotherhood Knights follow all the way up until the forest lines, mowing down many of the enemy in the process before stopping and turning back to the Stormwind defenders.

Saber did not recognize the banner of the Brotherhood Knights, only that it was somebody important based on its intricate design. A quick survey of the now silent battlefield showed the section lines had all but crumbled.

A few hours later as night descended, clerics and others could be seen helping the wounded or moving the dead. Saber had made back to her lines as Lady Fordragon rode out to meet the Brotherhood Commander in charge of their rescue.

"Somebody you know?" Saber asked her former knight and allowed herself a brief respite as she collapsed onto her backside. She had done her share of dragging the surviving wounded first in her section as well as ending the still wounded greenskins, giving them a clean death. Her knight had been summoned by one of his fellow Brotherhood, but he had desired to stay here with her. She ripped off a clean piece of her tabard and started to wipe at the wound on her forehead. Not the first time since the battle had ended. The Clerics had offered to heal the flesh wound but she had declined as others were in dire need of their services.

"Don't use that, Your Ma- Commander," Lancelot chided as he took out some clean bandages from his supply pouch.

Saber looked at the expertly cut bandages and pressed it against her head. "I need a better sword," she sighed, openly sharing her private thoughts to her former Knight. While this world had well crafted weapons, there were none with the durability she needed to fight with all her might. Looking enviously at the sword by Lancelot's side she had to ask him. "How did you find Arondight?"

Lancelot looked at his trusted blade before looking back at his king. "I found it in Lordaeron. It was protected by forest spirits in an abandon catacomb close to Elven land," he answered. Suddenly, he grinned at his king, making her look at him strangely.

"That rapscallion smile of yours has not changed at all," Saber said ruefully as she brushed a stray lock of golden hair from her face. Before everything went wrong, affair and all, Lancelot was the life of the party, beloved by all except Gawain. This was the same smile he wore back then when he was up to something only he found amusing. She was glad, that meant he was not the broken man she met during the Fourth Grail War. "You are up to something."

"Perhaps," Lancelot replied, grinning before his King punched him in his side. "Arghh!"

"I may not have much strength left but I am still strong enough to chastise you if you do not spit it out this second," Saber ordered in a menacing tone. It was the same tone she used back in Camelot when she had enough of the childish prank wars conducted by the Knights of the Round.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Lancelot whispered softly and saw his King look up at him sharply. Clearing his throat he gave his best smile and made sure to capture his King's expression for what he had to say next.

"Well?" Saber prompted impatiently.

Keeping his eyes on the pretty blonde face he said. "I know where Caliburn is in this world."

Lancelot will forever burn the image of his King's jaw dropping comically in his memories.

TBC..

Next: Caliburn and Judgment

AN:

Quick fix: Lothar's age, he was in his mid-forties not in the mid-sixties. Still doesn't change anything though. :D

Once again thanks to Wayfarer for editing this fic! Seriously he slogged through it. If there is anyone else that is interested in helping me edit this fic along with Wayfarer please drop a line.

So, another chapter down, it took a while but we finally got there. I was told by a friend that Nasu hard core fans might have a problem with me and what I choose to do creatively regarding power levels. To me I strive for balance, something Blizz needs to do, amirite? But anyway. I was told to be ready to be flamed into submission because things are not scaled to how some feel it should be. But I have a Nasu verse expert and my own knowledge of WoW and when I compare and contrast, it fits. To me, WoW world is currently similar to Earth Age of Gods, where Fae, Divine Beasts, and others walk the lands.

Oh and a quick note, Gul'dans attack aimed at Saber is Chaos Magic type. Chaos Magic in the WoW verse was created and used by the Burning Legion to kill divine beings. Great power, frail mortal bodies.

If you don't like the story then there is nothing I can do about it, for those that do, thank you.

Now here's some information that I think might be pertinent.

Ettin - They are big like Orges and are indigenous to Redridge

Doomhammer is intelligent, could have picked up Common or magically picked it up. I wanted that scene.

Three Corner - In WoW it really is called Three Corners, for those that don't play wow, it's a flat grassy and hilly area. It lead directly into the three maps of Stormwind Kingdom.

This is the major difference in WC1 and this story. In WC1. The Orcs invaded and stormed through the Black Morass and Stormwind was taken off guard. They also punched all the way to Stormwind City itself before they were beaten back by the Brotherhood and Stormwind Army. That battle just took place in this chapter.

Mara Fordragon - Actual WoW Lore Character, there WAS a statue of her in Stormwind somewhere with a sword and shield. It was in the library of the castle, have no idea where it is now.

Keeshan - Actual WoW character and actual veteran of the first war. I figure a wink and nudge here right? Do Redridge for those that still have a wow account. :D He's Rambo now.

Archmage Tobin and High Cleric - Orignal OC.

Orcs while tough are shown to be highly superstitious. Calling that little girl a demoness who has been killing them with impunity is in character to me.

Yes Saber has her A-rank immunity to magic. It hurts her but doesn't instantly kill her. Good thing wow has higher level spells. ^_^ So she gotta be careful~~~

As always C+C welcome, Reviews Appreciated.


	6. Chapter 5

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate/Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

**Warning!** This is more of a spin off instead of a direct cross with modern day Fate/Stay Night. I like Saber and so I am gonna put her in the WoW world.

Also, this fic take place during the first Orc -Human war.

Special thanks to Wayfarer and Cheeser for editing this chapter and really polishing this fic. We're talking about some real elbow grease here!

UPDATED! 9/12/14: Xbox432, threw his hat in , here to stay. ^_^ thank you!

Lioness of Stormwind

Chapter 5

**** Deep within the Black Morass ****

For the past few hours, Durotan, the strong and proud Orc chieftain of the Frostwolves, had watched on as the Orc chieftains blamed one another for their humiliating defeat against the pinkskins. Blackhand blamed the Orcs for failing. The Orc chieftains blamed Blackhand for poor leadership. Durotan himself blamed Gul'dan, who in turned blamed the Ogres. It was quite amusing.

"If your damned Bleeding Hollows had done their job properly, these pinkskins would never have been able to alert their forces!" Rend Blackhand, son of Blackhand the Destroyer, accused the old, grizzled, one-eyed Orc chieftain.

The accusation brought a deathly silence to the room, causing the son of Blackhand to realize that he had overstepped his bounds.

"Rend enough! Leave now!" Blackhand shouted as he grabbed his son by the back of his neck and tossed him out of the tent, humiliating him in front of everyone. He had seen the murderous intent on Kilrogg's face, and if the one eyed bastard had killed his son, he would have been honor bound to retaliate. That would have brought war between the clans.

"Regardless if they were ready or not, we should have easily destroyed them if they were really what someone claimed they were!" Zuluhed, the Whacked, the slightly demented chieftain of the Dragon Maw, insisted. He then turned to Gul'dan and pointed at the Head Warlock. "Wasn't it you who said they would be easy pickings?"

Once more, the room became silent as all chieftains present turned their attention towards the Chief Warlock of the Horde. Durotan smiled inwardly at seeing the damn traitor squirm beneath the others' accusing eyes. Maybe Blackhand would wise up and rid himself of the damnable Orc and be done with it. Durotan was glad he had declined the honor of the first assault on the Humans after seeing what happened. The reason for his decline, however, was simple. He was sick of it. He was sick of war. Sick of what his race had become, and he could not watch as his people slaughtered a weaker race that had done nothing to them again. They dishonored themselves by doing so. Durotan had quenched his thirst for slaughter with the Draenei's, a race he had personally helped bring to ruin despite knowing their cause was wrong. And so, he had volunteered his clan to stay back and guard the Dark Portal. Now, more than ever, he was glad for it. Apparently, there was no easy prey in this new world.

"Yes, Gul'dan, please tell us how they were able to beat back our forces?" Blackhand looked to his High Warlock in amusement. He still needed the Warlock to keep the other clans in line but it would be good to remind the worm who held the power.

"It... It's!" Gul'dan looked around and saw all the clan chieftains staring at him expectantly; some were even sharpening their weapons. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Durotan of the Frostwolves, looking incredibly bored by the proceedings. Inwardly cursing the Frostwolves' chieftain, he threw himself before Blackhand in complete submission. "It was a mistake, I admit. My vision, once so clear, was clouded."

"Then why should we let you live since you cost us so many of our warriors?" Kilrogg softly questioned. He took out a wicked looking jagged blade and started to sharpen it in front of the nervous Warlock. "You have outlived your usefulness if even your dreams have betrayed you."

Gul'dan felt his heart beat furiously in his chest as the other chieftains around him nodded in agreement with Kilrogg. He had to think of a way to save his skin first. Then he would deal with Kilrogg. "It was the works of the Draenei!" he shouted quickly.

The other Orc Chieftains looked on and growled at the mention of their old enemies.

Sensing their uncertainty, Gul'dan continued. "They clouded my vision even from the grave! But I have dispelled the last of their magics and now my vision is true once more."

"The Draenei?" Kilrogg voiced skeptically but his eyes did look somewhat concerned. The Draenei were, after all, quite formidable. It was plausible that they could have planned something in advance even knowing of their impending doom.

"Yes!" Gul'dan confirmed, seizing his chance. "The enemy we face here now are... formidable, but they are the strongest this world has to offer. Once we defeat them, this world is ours!"

Durotan wanted to curse the stupidity of his fellow chieftains for believing such a blatant lie, but after drinking from the Blood Cup, the chieftains he had respected did not seem as rational as they once were. Their strength was still there, but their reasoning was suspect. He suddenly stood up and made to walk out of the tent.

"And where are you going Durotan?" Blackhand asked curiously. While he respected the Frostwolves' chieftain for his strength, he would still force his submission.

Turning around, Durotan bowed respectfully to the Warchief. "To prepare my forces, Warchief, as we are the only ones left."

"Prepare for what?" Gul'dan snapped, glaring at the Frostwolves' chieftain.

Durotan gave Gul'dan a look and mockingly replied. "This is why you are not a clan chieftain Warlock. You are no warrior, so you would not understand."

Gul'dan went even greener in the face at the insult. He started to walk toward Durotan but the hand of Orgrim Doomhammer fell upon his shoulder and stopped him in his tracks.

"Durotan is right. His Frostwolves are the only fighting force we have left. He must prepare our defenses," Doomhammer stated, before nodding to his friend.

"What are you talking about?" Gul'dan demanded.

"Are you really that naive?" Durotan sneered. "We have provoked these 'Humans', razing their towns and slaughtering thousands. Do you REALLY think they would not come here to pay us back in kind?"

Gul'dan's eyes widened at the implication. As loathed as he was to admit it, Durotan was right. They only had the Frostwolves and a few remnants of Blackrock. While they were bringing more Orcs from the Dark portal every day, the chieftains on Draenor were still scattered.

Durotan, seeing Gul'dan's understanding, gave the chief warlock a look of disgust before exiting the tent.

"I would suggest that you find a way to solve our little dilemma, Gul'dan. Or I'll be forced to have you beheaded for incompetence," Blackhand told his chief warlock with a grin. Having sent a cruel look to the Orc he stood up and walked out, ending the meeting.

Gul'dan found himself alone after a few moments when suddenly, he was surrounded in darkness again. He saw the mage Medivh in front of him and immediately realized he was in his mindscape

Angrily, he made to lash out at the Human mage. "This was YOUR fault! You promised me power and my people an easy victory!" Gul'dan growled, storming towards the Human mage. However, as soon as Gul'dan had gotten close to the Human, he felt a jolt of searing pain. The Human now radiated a presence far beyond that of a Human, even greater than that of Kil'Jaden, the great demon lord.

"You **DARE**?" Medivh voice boomed across the black space.

Gul'dan quickly fell to his knees and bowed his head low submissively. "Of course not, Master, I was merely taken in by the moment," he groveled. The sheer power Medivh was giving off was suffocating. "You said we would take them off guard but they were already ready for us. They are likely coming to push us back through the portal. How could we do your will now, Master?"

The great mage's presence slowly dimmed, much to Gul'dan relief, as he walked towards the groveling Orc. "Do not fear. They will not be coming." Medivh informed the Orc as he stroked his beard. "I have told them that your forces were completely destroyed, and they no longer worry. This will give you more time to bring your people here to this land, make sure you have MORE this time."

"Yes, my master!" Gul'dan agreed quickly. He slowly stood back to his feet, his shoulders still hunched in submission. "We only brought a small fraction of our forces over; I will make sure we number in the hundreds of thousands before we march on the Human lands!"

"Good," Medivh said as he now looked off into the distance. "I will weaken them from the inside while you do so. This brings me to another matter at hand."

"Yes, Master?" Gul'dan asked, tentatively standing up straight now that the oppressive presence was gone.

"You have a pet. The half Orc, half Draenei hybrid," Medivh stated simply as he looked directly at the taller Orc.

"What about her?" Gul'dan looked curiously at his master. The girl, Garona, had been a novel experiment. Too bad other hybrids could not have been made.

"I want her. Send her to Stormwind by herself, make her an envoy of your people while you build up your forces here."

At first, Gul'dan was surprised by the request. But then, realizing the deviousness of the mage, he burst out laughing. One hand would extend an offer of peace while the other wielding an axe to strike them down the moment they least expect it.

***** Lakeshire, Three Weeks later after the Battle of Three Corner ****

Saber woke up to the smell of baking bread, its scent tickled at her nose demanding her attention. Wide awake, she jumped out of bed before recognizing her surroundings. This was her Aunt Cecilia's house.

Taking out her royal blue dress and white tunic, she folded it over her arm and made for the baths. She missed the convenience of running water she had experienced with Shirou, instead having to bathe in a wooden tub. Surprisingly, despite the lack of technology, it seemed the people of this world were quite hygienic; as soap, and other things were available to her. Fifteen minutes later she was cleaned and ready as she wore her blue dress and walked out into the living room where she was immediately greeted by her two nephews.

"Arturia!" the two boys said happily as he they grabbed their pretty cousin by her cuff and pulled her to the table to eat.

"Ed, Albert, you're being rude again!" an older woman, whose features were similar to that of Igraine, chided her two boys.

Immediately the two boys looked contrite. Together they bowed their heads low and said. "Sorry, Mom..."

"It's okay, Aunt Cecilia," Saber assured, greeting her aunt with a polite smile.

"How many times have I told you? Just call me Aunty or Cecilia," the pretty older woman corrected as she hugged her blond niece. "I swear you haven't changed at all with your politeness!"

Saber had to quirk a smile at that. She couldn't help it; twenty some odd years of ruling had made her speech quite formal. "I shall endeavor to change," she responded playfully.

"Arturia, you're awake," Igraine observed as she walked in from the front door. She was dressed in a simple violet dress with a basket in her arm. At a glance one could see various fruits sticking out of it.

"Good morning, Mother," Saber greeted her mother affectionately as her mother sighed in exasperation. As much as she loved her mother, Saber could never call her 'mommy' or 'mama'.

With everyone there, the family enjoyed a pleasant breakfast making small-talk with each other. The two older women, to Saber surprise, never once brought up the Battle of Three Corners.

After breakfast, Arturia helped her aunt clean up the dishes before they were interrupted by a polite knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Cecilia said as she toweled off her hand on her apron. She turned left at the hall way and disappeared from view.

Saber was focused on the dishes next to her mother when she was surprised by what sounded like a squeal from her aunt. Curious, she turned to look at the entrance of the hallway to see Lancelot, in full armor, standing there looking at her in bemusement. Next to the perfect knight was her aunt, demurely blushing deeply as she made eyes at the handsome knight.

Eyes twinkling with delight and mischief, Lancelot gave his King a level look. "Ah, Commander Arturia, I hope I was not interrupting anything?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his King, who was doing what he classified as womanly duties. He noticed his King narrowing her eyes at him for his comment. She had opened her mouth to say something to him when she closed it suddenly and gave him an unreadable look. Not for the first time Lancelot was reminded that, while his King was mostly the same, she acted... differently now, meaning that she was not above getting back at him.

Looking from her aunt to her mother who was also blushing, much to her annoyance, Saber turned back to the famed knight of Moonbrook. "Not at all, in fact, I would like for you to come and give me a hand," she said politely. She smirked inwardly as Lancelot's eyes widened in indignation.

"Arturia!" both Arturia's aunt and mother chided the girl at the same time before looking apologetically to the knight. Igraine had not recognized the famed knight of Moonbrook while Cecilia was his biggest admirer.

Saber's eyes narrowed a fraction as she gazed at Lancelot, giving him a smile that spoke of his impending doom. "Don't worry mother, I insist," she ordered.

Sighing in defeat, Lancelot took off his gauntlets without protest and moved over to do the dishes as his King moved out of the way. A moment later the two women of the house hold were by his side, trying to dissuade him from doing the chore. But he remained obstinate. If this was what his King wished, then so be it. This was to be his long road for atonement no matter what form it took.

Saber dried off her hands, shrugged off the dirty looks her mother and aunt gave her before turning to her cousins, who were staring at her former knight in awe. It was then she saw another Brotherhood Knight enter her aunt's home. A young handsome boy, no more than twenty years of age, he took one look at her and blushed red before locking eyes on the knight of Moonbrook.

The boy surprised by the sight of his superior doing dishes, turned back to the pretty blonde girl. "Ah, Commander Arturia," the young knight croaked out before clearing his throat to sound normal again.

"I don't think I am 'Commander' anymore knight...?" Saber corrected, giving him an opportunity to introduce himself.

"Ah yes, of course, I am so sorry, where are my manners," the young knight replied in a flustered tone. Giving her a knightly bow he introduced himself. "I am Squire Gawain of Sunnyglade."

Saber's eyes widened at the name. She immediately turned to look at Lancelot who winked at her in response. The bastard had planned this to surprise her. She saw the young knight look at her nervously and she turned her attention back on him. "Well, Squire Gawain of Sunnyglade, it is an honor to meet you," she said kindly. She briefly recalled one of her most loyal knights. The boy in front of her looked nothing like the Gawain she knew.

"No- No, the honor is all mine!" Gawain gushed. Thankfully before he could make a further fool of himself, Knight Lancelot hooked his armed around his neck.

"How do you like my squire?" Lancelot asked with a roguish grin. "He worships the very ground you walk on you know. Not unlike someone else we knew eh?"

"Sir!" Gawain yelped as he hid his blushing red face. To his further embarrassment, Commander Arturia's pretty emerald eyes were looking at him thoughtfully.

Saber had to shake her head, unknowingly making Gawain's heart freeze thinking that negative motion was for him. She could guess why Lancelot would pick a boy by the name of Gawain to be his squire. She knew the two never liked each other and this was probably Lancelot's way of one upping her serious knight. She turned to see that her aunt was now practically drooling at the two handsome knights in front of her. Not only that, but her mother was also priming her hair while smoothing her dress. Honestly.

"Oh Gawain, aren't you going to present Lady Arturia her gift from the Governor General?" Lancelot prompted the young knight who looked like he wanted to die where he stood.

"R- Right away, Sir!" the young red haired knight said before running outside.

Lancelot smiled at the young knight in trainings eagerness to please. He had to admit, he found it damn funny saying; 'fetch me this Gawain, do that Gawain, no Gawain, BAD Gawain!' This new world was so much fun! Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he noticed his King's confused look. "Is something wrong, Your Maj - uh, Commander?"

Saber looked at her former knight and asked the question that had been bugging her. "Why are you still referring to me as Commander? I thought it was in jest, but even young Gawain referred to me the same way. You do remember that my battlefield commission was only temporary right?" she reminded him. She dismissed the weird looks her mother and aunt were giving her.

"_Young_ Gawain?" Igraine repeated while looking at her daughter. With her hands rested on her hips she shook her head. "You fight in a battle and now you think you are older than everyone else now?"

Saber opened her mouth to explain when she realized that her mother was absolutely correct; she was sixteen years old in this world! Suddenly she blushed in embarrassment and became flustered at her mistake. Little did Saber realize that she was making herself look adorable to all present. Unfortunately it was this scene that young Gawain returned too.

"Here is the gi-ft?" Gawain trailed off as he noticed everyone's attention was on Commander Arturia. Looking over to the Lioness of Three Corners, he was greeted with a sight forever burned into his memories. A blushing, flustered, Commander Arturia. He could die right now and be content.

Lancelot turned around and saw the small trunk that his squire, aka whipping boy, brought in and took it from his stunned hands. Lancelot never realized his King could look so adorable all this time. Try as he might he could not come to terms with the image of the stern unyielding King with his boy-ish good looks being compared to the cute flustered girl in front of him. He idly wondered if maybe his King's adorableness wouldn't have been a better weapon to wield against all of their enemies. "Here you go, Commander, with regards from the Governor General," he presented the trunk in front of her and propped it open to reveal its contents.

Saber got over her embarrassment and schooled her features again to look. A soft gasp escaped her lips when she saw its contents. Inside was a familiar set of battle armor, not of Stormwind's designs but of Camelot's. "How?" she breathed softly as she held up the breastplate and touched its surface. Even the markings were the same.

"It was crafted with the highest quality mithril gold could buy and has also been enchanted by several mages for additional protection," Lancelot explained. "I had it designed in this manner, as I thought it suited you best."

Nodding in understanding, Saber put the breastplate back in the trunk and looked at Lancelot. "Thank you," she said. Despite this not being her old armor, it was almost an exact replica, and she had to marvel at how great Lancelot's memory was to get the finer details right. Still, something needed to be answered. "Why am I still a Commander? And why would the Governor General gift me with this armor?"

Smirking, Lancelot answered his King. "Because, Commander, the Governor General never withdrew your commission. And as for why the battle armor, she wanted to reward you for your service."

Saber looked at the armor pensively. They had found out later from Archmage Medivh, that the greenskins they fought were called Orcs. They did not look like the Orcs from her legends.

"At first," Lancelot continued as he looked at his King. "The Governor General wanted to gift you a sword, but I mentioned that you already had one."

Saber's eyes immediately locked with those of Lancelot, tangible excitement dancing in them. He was going to take her to Caliburn! She almost couldn't believe it, but Lancelot had assured her that it was the very same Caliburn she lost so long ago.

"Also, by request of King Adamant Wrynn III and Lady Fordragon, the victors of Three Corners have been invited to a parade and banquet in their honor," Lancelot announced formally.

"Really?!" Igraine and Cecilia gasped loudly. As one they turned to look at their daughter/niece and squealed in excitement. "You're going to meet the King!"

Lancelot had to smirk at the reactions of the two women. If only they knew. "You do not have the option to decline," he added, just in case his King was contemplating not attending.

"I see, is it one of... those affairs?" Saber asked, dreading that it would be similar to the formal parties that she had to throw from time to time as King. She hated dressing up; much to the glee of Guinevere, who took great pleasure in dressing her up to be as 'dashing' as possible.

"It would be a warrior's affair, armor would be the best choice," Lancelot informed, much to the relief of his King. "I have volunteered to escort you to the celebration."

Saber sighed and knew that the topic Lancelot wanted to discuss was coming. It was inevitable. "I find it troubling that they would throw a celebration when the Orcs are still out there," she pointed out to Lancelot, who nodded. "Then there is the fact that the Black Morass is no longer safe, what about those that lost their homes?"

"I share your sentiment, as does Lady Fordragon, but the Archmage Medivh has assured us that we all but destroyed the Orcish threat," Lancelot said. He had met Medivh once before and the man exuded an aura much like Merlin, possibly even greater if his feats were to be believed. "However, we have received some good news too; Stormwind is mobilizing an expeditionary force of no less than one hundred thousand to assess the Orcish threat. Unfortunately such a call to arms will take several months at least to complete."

Nodding at the news that something would be done about the towns in Black Morass, Saber looked to her former knight. "When do we leave?"

"Right now. Gawain will go on ahead with your trunk and meet us at Goldshire," Lancelot replied as he signaled for Gawain to take the trunk away. "Lady Fordragon and the survivors of the army already left two days ago."

Saber bowed her head in respectful silence. Along with twelve thousand men, most of the mage contingent along with their cleric brethren had perished. Among the dead were Knight Commander Armin and Archmage Tobin who fell towards the battles end. She took small comfort in the fact that her friend had made it out of the battle alive, whose clerical group had been assigned to Lady Fordragon's. Had Lothar and the five thousand Brotherhood Knights not arrived when they did, Saber was not sure how long the rest would have fared. Her consolation at such losses was the damage done to the Orcish horde being far greater. Already they had counted over thirty one thousand dead and they were finding more every day. Though many of the commanders along the lines lost a great number of men, her section, though hit hard, walked away with the lowest casualties; with only one fifth of her forced killed in battle.

"The passageway to Three Corners has been sufficiently fortified, with fifteen thousand soldiers at each entry point and more in the fallback lines just in case the Orcs are not gone like the Archmage said they were," Lancelot reported.

"Then let us not waste time," Saber said as she turned to her mother and aunt. "I will be back soon, I hope."

Igraine hugged her daughter tightly, her heart swelling with pride for her daughter. "Have a safe trip, my little lioness," she whispered softly to her daughter. She only wished that Athan could have been alive to see what their daughter had become. Everywhere she has gone in Lakeshire they were talking about the Lioness of Three Corner. How she destroyed any that stood before her. How, despite being bloody, battered, and her sword broken by a monstrous Orc, she had roared loudly in defiance at the creature never once showing any fear. Then of course there was the painting that an Archmage by the name of Tobin had magically made of her before the battle.

Already many artists were making copies of it to sell. It was a picture of Arturia's profile, clad in Stormwind armor standing proudly in front of the fluttering Lion's banner with an intricately designed greatsword stabbed into the ground in front of her. The pictures showed both of Arturia's hands rested on its pommel in a ready stance, some would say in a kingly manner. Her blonde hair were tied into a bun with a blue ribbon fluttering in the wind, her emerald eyes large and luminous staring out at something unknown in the distance. It made her daughter look amazing beyond words and the troops that had fought by her side had not stopped talking about her in the taverns.

"I will, Mother," Saber agreed before giving her mother a peck on the cheek and letting go of the woman. She then turned to her aunt and gave her a hug also. "Please look after my mother."

"I will Arturia. Just be on your best behavior!" Cecilia advised her niece. Her niece and sister lived far away from the towns and cities. While politely learning courtly etiquette would not be high on their list, she could only hope that wouldn't somehow offend King Adamant.

Ruffling the hair of her two cousins she turned to Lancelot and nodded. "Let's go," she said and felt Lancelot's familiar presence behind her, to her right.

++++ Elwynn Forest, Ten Hours Later ++++

It was midday when the two riders stopped in front of a large wooden gate barring their way into Elwynn Forest with impressive wooden logs tied together stretching across to touch either side of the mountains. On the mountain's slopes were hastily constructed watchtowers made from wood while its base was being fortified with stone. Saber had to admit that she was impressed by the engineers that erected such strong defensive fortifications in so short a time frame.

"Just a moment, the lads are fixing something down by the door, something about hinges. We'll have it open in a moment!" a guard from on top the wall shouted down apologetically.

"Don't worry, take your time!" Lancelot called back affably as he and his King rested on their horses, where they could hear the sounds of cursing and hammering from behind the door.

Saber had the odd feeling that she was being watched. It was only when she felt the fifth pair of eyes on her that her attention focused on the watchtowers position along the mountain ridges. She discreetly turned her head and saw several of the guards looking at her while whispering to one another excitedly. Turning her head as if to take in other sights, Saber saw other guardsmen pointing then whispering even more excitedly while looking at her.

Finally the door swung open, allowing the two travelers entry. "Sorry about that!" the guard on top of the wall shouted, but his eyes never left the Brotherhood Knight's companion.

Lancelot grinned as he rode through with his King in tow knowing exactly why she was getting all the whispers and stares from the soldiers. _'That's right, I am riding with your Lioness of Three Corners!' h_e thought gleefully. One day, they would all know the greatness of his King.

Saber watched as they left the fortified encampment and was relieved to be away from all the weird stares. "Any idea what that was about Lancelot?" she asked.

"No idea, my King!" Lancelot replied jovially but he had to reign in his humor when he saw that his King narrowed her eyes dangerously. If only looks could kill... well there would have been a lot of dead people. "They wanted to meet the Lioness of Three Corners."

"Lioness of what now?" Saber asked in a confused tone. She turned to Lancelot her head tilted in a questioning manner, a habit she picked up with Shirou whenever she let down her guard. A habit that now made her absolutely adorable.

"Your Majesty, please!" Lancelot shouted as he struggled to control himself and to not hug his King. She would most likely kill him, but it would be a nice way to go! When did his King get so adorable!

In reply to the knight's plea, Saber tilted her head to the other side with an even more confused look on her face. She was then a bit startled when the Knight of the Lake unslung the shield from his horse's side and smashed his face into it. Repeatedly.

"Ow..." Lancelot groaned. Composed now, he saw his King's displeased look. That he could deal with. He must never let her know the power of her adorableness! "Anyway, you earned yourself an unofficial title, for your actions at Three Corners. You have now been coined 'The Lioness of Three Corner'."

"What?!" Saber shouted in outrage. "Why?!"

Lancelot sat taller in his saddle, grinning at his King as he tried to imitate a storyteller. "Legend has it that during the Battle of Three Corner, there was a Lioness that fought savagely to protect her Pride against the monstrous greenskins! It is said that a single swipe from her claws could cut a man in two. Though their losses were many, the monsters would not be deterred as they sent their strongest to slay it. The behemoth hammered her body, broke her claws and bloodied her proud mane, but the Lioness never faltered. Unfortunately, the greenskin, though wounded had outmatched the Lioness; it had intended to crush her with its mighty warhammer. It was then, facing death, that the Lioness let loose a loud roar of defiance. The roar from the Lioness invigorated the soldiers of Stormwind with her spirit. They rallied against the greenskins and held firm by sheer strength of will, the same strength the Lioness' roar conveyed to them. From then on she was known as the Lioness of Three Corners. That was you, Your Majesty," he saw his King's jaw was unhinged in shock.

"Wh-what?!" Saber sputtered after she recovered. She felt embarrassed and humiliated that such a tale was spreading. Then something else occurred to her. "And what do you mean by 'Legends has it'? The battle is only three weeks old!"

"It'll blow over..." Lancelot comforted seeing the distressed look on his King's face then quirked his lips upward. "Probably..."

"Is that why the towns folk were giving me weird looks?!" Saber demanded. Then another thought occurred to her. "How do they know what I looked like anyway? The soldiers and those under my command sure but the rest, like the guards we just passed?"

Lancelot wordlessly opened up his pouch and unrolled a fine silk cloth with a picture of his King. It showed his King in her usual pre-battle pose that she often did before confronting an enemy army.

"..." Saber said in muted shock. There was a picture of her looking... she didn't even have a word for it. The caption below it said 'Lioness of Three Corners'.

Rolling it back up and putting it in his pouch, Lancelot grabbed his horse's reigns and continued on as if nothing had happened. After a few hours of riding in companionable silence, they came across the next defensive line at Stonecarine River. Saluting the guards at the bridge he made a right turn and followed the river to its source.

Saber had recovered and thought about the new development. While she was perfectly willing to fight, bleed, and lead; she wasn't sure how she felt about being viewed like that. It reminded her too much of the Maid of Orleans situation. That little titbit she learned from Caster was pretty disturbing. She had been so deep in thought that she had almost failed to notice a fish creature lunging at her. Reacting on instinct she punched the creature in its face, killing it instantly. The other fish creatures, seeing what she did to one of their kind with a fist, slunk back into the water.

"Murlocs!" Lancelot spat noticing their little small huts along the rivers banks. He swore every time he razed their settlement to the ground, it would always be rebuilt as if he had never touched it.

Saber blinked and remembered having seen some near the river of her town but the guards had taken care to keep the area clear of the creatures. It was then she noticed they reached the mouth of the river. Across that river was a large mass of land, almost an island, with massive stones assembled at its outer edge in a way it reminded her of the Stonehenge of Britannia but larger.

"The water is deep, we will have to ford through it," Lancelot said as he gently eased his horse into the water. As he continued deeper into the water, he realized his King was not with him. Turning around he saw his King had stripped down to her undergarment and was putting her clothes into her saddle pouch. He knew his King was a woman, but he had NEVER seen his King as a woman. At least not until now. He never knew her skin was so white and looked so smooth, and he wondered how she could be unblemished despite all the hard fighting she had recently done. A moment later his King mounted her horse and rode into the water.

Saber looked at her former Knight and saw that his face was oddly red. Shrugging she continued on as they reached the other side of the lake on their mounts. Finally back on land, she wore the dress again.

"Your Majesty," Lancelot intoned, having finally recovered from the amazing view he had received crossing the river. He was relieved to see his King was putting on the last of her blue dress. "I hope that you remember that you are a woman and something like that should not be done so frivolously."

"Had it been with anyone else I might have had to show modesty but you are not a man," Saber replied dismissively. "You were one of the Knights of the Round. I doubt you see me in that way."

"R-right..." Lancelot mumbled not knowing how he should take the backhanded compliment.

Saber was about to say something else when something caught her attention, there in the middle of the land was a large stone, a stone with a sword embedded inside. "Caliburn..." she whispered as her feet carried her swiftly to the stone.

Lancelot had heard about this moment but he had not witnessed it. The moment his King was chosen to be King. Oddly his King had pulled up short in front of the stone.

Saber looked at the familiar sword and saw the beginning of the words etched on its blade. "Whosoe'er pulleth out this _sword_ of this _stone_" carved in ancient Cymraeg_._ Was she worthy to wield Caliburn again? It was weaker than Excalibur to be sure but it still served her well during her early reign before breaking. How it was found and mended she did not know. Nor did it matter save that it was here.

"The people of this land do not know how this sword got here, save that it appeared at least several hundred years ago," Lancelot explained as he looked at the sword stuck in the stone. "This is one of the greatest mysteries of Stormwind Kingdom. Over the years, many have tried to pull the sword from the stone, but none have succeeded."

Saber looked up sharply to see Lancelot still looking at the majestic blade. "They tried to pull it out?" she asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Lancelot said as he took off his black armor but kept his mail shirt on. Nightfall was approaching, and it would be best to camp there than go wandering in the dark. "The people of this land have tried using magic to pull the sword from the stone, and the Dwarves to the north had attempted to remove the stone from the sword using their ancient knowledge of forgeworks. Every generation of the Stormwind royal family have tried. Even Lothar and Prince Llane had their turn trying to pull the sword. The great wizard Medivh himself could not decipher the magics binding the sword to the stone. I once heard the great mage Agewyn tried her hand at it also but was unable to do anything except move the rock."

"So many tried to pull the sword from the stone, truly?" Saber asked

"Yes, Your Majesty," Lancelot replied as he finally lit a camp fire. "There was no restriction, people came from all over to try their hand at it, but all failed. It has become something of a rite of passage for many; the Brotherhood has their new recruits try their hand. I tried it myself but I knew it would not be freed by me. I believe it's been waiting for you, Your Majesty."

Saber looked at the sword. "So there is no prophecy about crowning anyone King if they pulled this sword form the stone?" she asked softly. Apparently there was something in her voice that prompted Lancelot to look up sharply.

"My King," Lancelot started, now, finally, he had an opening for the subject he wanted to discuss with his King. His betrayal and his chance for atonement. "Even if there was one, you would be a King people would follow. I would follow you again if you'd have me. I know I am asking much as it was I who crippled your reign. If not for me your kingdom would have endured."

Saber closed her eyes and turned to face Lancelot, who had laid his soul bare to her waiting for her judgment. She remembered her conversation with Berserker during the Fourth grail war of what that copy of Lancelot had said. It was time to put the matter to rest one way or another. "You know, I never at any point, once held a grudge against you and Guinevere," she said softly, the campfire illuminated her face.

"You should have, it was your right, your duty!" Lancelot half shouted before kneeling in the dirt before his King. "You should have executed us the moment you learned of our affair! Not when it became public. We would have gladly died at your judgment to preserve your kingdom."

"I know what the people have always said behind my back. That I was a cold unfeeling King," Saber commented as she turned her back to Lancelot looking up at the night sky. "Behind my back they asked, how can a King understand his people if he showed no emotion? How can a King like that rule the people? They do not realize that I do feel, Lancelot, I feel everything. Every soldier that died under my command, I grieved for them. All the towns I had to sacrifice for the greater victory I mourned them. But I was King, I cannot allow myself such luxury. Only Guinevere saw through me."

Lancelot eyes snapped up and stared at his King's back, amazed at his lord's confession. "My King?" he asked.

"Guinevere was beautiful beyond measure, she could have found happiness with ANY man but she chose to help me with my deception. She choose to wed me and forever denied herself a real husband, children to raise, a family to care for, condemned for the rest of her life to be alone. I felt guilty for that," Saber said softly. A faraway look now adorned her face. "When she found happiness in your arms, I did not begrudge her. I was happy for her. I turned a blind eye whenever I could. I WANTED her to be happy, but I had to be a strong King. So long as you two were not caught I would not have cared."

"But you should not have had to sacrifice your honor for us to do so!" Lancelot shot back full of self-loathing. The Cuckold King they called Arthur later on. He had fought any who had said so within his earshot back then. It was then his King turned to face him, the fire of the campfire danced in her emerald eyes making her look achingly beautiful.

"You do not understand. But then, both you and Guinevere never could understand my selfish reasoning," Saber admitted looking down at her knight as she too confessed her part in the whole tragedy. "I was not sacrificing anything, I was being selfish. It was my desire that you two, who had worked tirelessly for me, find a bit of happiness. I did not judge you because I was selfish in not wanting to. I did not pursue you two when you fled because I chose NOT to, in my selfishness, I stayed my hand. I wanted you two to find happiness in such a brutal world. I had hoped you two found it, but in the end, all I did was drive you into madness and lead my kingdom to ruin."

"No! It was I, the blame lay with me!" Lancelot vehemently denied with tears pouring from his eyes at the pain of his King. Who knew that his King was carrying such a burden?

"No, it was me, I could have killed you and been done with it but I choose not to, I could have saved my kingdom by simply killing you. But no, I let you go, knowing that the people would be outraged. I choose that path and it lead to the destruction of everything. I was King, the burden of responsibility lay on my shoulder alone," Saber declared with unwavering resolve as she explained her actions to her most trusted knight. "My fondest wish was for someone else to be King. Maybe someone that was wiser than me, kinder then me, a King better than I, one the people truly deserved."

Lancelot felt his heart swell with pride for his King and stood up. His King was wrong, wrong about so many things. "Your Majesty, I speak now not only for myself, but for all the soldiers who followed you. From the Knights of the Rounds down to the lowliest grunt, to the people under your rule, and even the enemies who you fought against."

Saber stared impassively at Lancelot and saw the truth in his eyes.

"King Arthur, you were without a doubt, the greatest of all Kings! All of us who served you or stood against you, felt that way, no matter what was said about you behind your back, no matter how harsh your judgment or how brutal your strategies, " Lancelot proclaimed proudly. He prostrated himself before her, his pride be damned. "I ask you now, King Arthur of Camelot, High King of Britannia, to pass judgment upon your unfaithful knight."

Saber stared at her greatest knight at one time and greatest enemy at another. This was not a copy of Lancelot, it WAS Lancelot. Though he had resolved the issue himself he still awaited her judgment. Turning back to face Caliburn, Saber reached her hand out and gripped the hilt. With just as much ease as she did the first time, she pulled the sword from the stone and watched as a golden wave of light expanded outward, illuminating everything for just a moment in its warm glow.

"My King?" Lancelot looked up just in time to see his King pull the sword from the stone once more. Her body was bathed in a glowing light as was the sword as she held it close to her face.

"Lancelot, I hereby pass judgment on you now," Saber announced imperiously like she did in Camelot and turned her hard eyes to her knight. "You will not find ANY easy or swift judgment for your guilt. You will probably spend your entire life resolving this issue but I have faith that you will."

The famed knight of Camelot bowed his head, awaiting the harshest of punishment from his King. He needed her judgment. He had followed her all the way to a different world to seek it.

"Lancelot De Luc, I, Arthur Pendragon, hereby order you to accept my forgiveness."

Lancelot raised his head up and look at his King in shock.

"You WILL accept my forgiveness, if you still feel any loyalty or respect for me, you will accept," Saber ordered the stunned knight. She knelt down on one knee and laid a soft hand on Lancelot's shoulder. "Will you do this for me, your former King?" she asked softly.

Lancelot warred with his emotions, he needed punishment yet, Arthur had given him the harshest of all punishment. Forgiveness. To live with the burden of his sins that he had committed against her. "I-I..."

"I need you to accept," Saber said softly as she squeezed his shoulder. "I need you to make peace with yourself and help me in this new and dangerous world."

"What do you mean, my King?" Lancelot asked softly as he still warred within himself whether to rail against her judgment or accept it finally.

"There is a reason why Caliburn is in this world. After seeing the Orcs, I think maybe that is why. I cannot be sure, I can only feel that Caliburn will be needed and I will wield it. I need loyal knights by my side, knights that are strong and true to me. Will you accept my judgment and be the first of those knights for me, Lancelot?" Saber looked softly at her former knight with a searching expression on her face.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will carry out your punishment to the fullest of my ability," Lancelot accepted in a soft whisper. "And I will serve you faithfully again if you will have me as one of your knights."

"Then Lancelot De Luc," Saber proclaimed as she stood back up her full height. "I declare my judgment done. And I hereby knight you once more as Lancelot of the Lake, for it is here at this lake that you have returned to my side."

Lancelot bowed and felt the flat of Caliburn touch both of his shoulders. He had been re-knighted by his King. To serve Arthur- no Arturia again! He did not think that he could ever accept his role in what he did, but he will try to accept his King's forgiveness and no longer let it haunt him.

Nodding to herself Saber walked up to the stone slab and laid on it and closed her eyes. With Caliburn she would probably stop aging again, but there had to be a reason why she and Caliburn were sent here. She was sure of it. Did that mean Excalibur was here as well? Was it possible? Maybe more of her knights? Her head filled with such thoughts as she fell asleep.

***** Kalimdor, Caverns of Time ****

Soridormi, dragon consort of Nozdormu, raised her head from her slumber as she felt a shift in the flow of time. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. Taking on her High Elven form, she peered into the hourglass of time. What she saw there shocked her. There was no words to describe it, there was a disturbance in the timeways. This couldn't be! Azeroth was doomed if they did not correct the problem.

"Chronomoru, Arcahnos, Erozion, Vorinos, to me!" Soridormi summoned mentally and felt the four large bronze drakes appeared before her a moment later. "We have much work to do, time has changed, find the cause."

"Yes, Prime Consort!" the Four Dragons replied as one.

TBC...

Next: SW Party!

AN:

Well this chapter was cleaned up relatively fast and it was ALL due to the effort of my editors. It is only with their speed that the fics could be posted so soon. Cheeser is a new editor for the fic who like Way is very enthusiastic about making this fic shine! Thank you both!

As for the fic itself? I choose not to go with the immediate aftermath and show life for Saber in Stormwind. I guess I am trying to make them feel real. Whether I succeed or not who knows? I also mix that whole buddy relationship in there with Saber and Lancelot because it felt natural to write it like that, not overly stiff and formal but not crackish. It's fun I guess?

Also, the picture is the Saber pose we all came to know and love. It's the one where she just stands looking all sort of bad ass. That's what's being passed around :)

Now the most important issue. No doubt many are going "Wait a second, Caliburn's been there for a long time?! Say WHAT!?" Yes, it's true. Caliburn was dropped into Stonecarine for a long time now. How? What? Where? Why? For those that know WoW, time dickery isn't something new. For those that don't, Elune is not bound by time. There is a reason why she picked Arturia of all the people across time and space and yes you will know the reason. Just not now. :) Feel free to guess though!

Also for those that wonder WTF is Cymraeg? According to my little research, it's the ancient name for the Welsh language. Since Saber WAS from that timeframe, and that sword was made by Fae of the Celts. I figured I throw in some authenticity to it. If I am wrong, please feel free to give me a PM.

I also delve a bit into Orcish culture and how it relates during that time frame and what their foreign policies were like. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

**INDEX THINGY: **

Yes, Saber punched a Murloc in the face and killed it. For those that played wow... damn murloc village. You know what I am talking about!

Stonecarine Lake is located in Elywnn Forest. It is an isolated mini island or patch of land with huge stones around it. What it does not have is a huge stone slab for Caliburn in it. :D

Dragons in Azeroth: There are five colors in total that are called Flights. Bronze Dragons control time and dimensions much like Zelretch's Kaleidoscope, going into different realities. Their enemies are the Infinite Dragon Flight who also jump into time and other realities at will, altering people's fate.

Garona: Actual Lore Character, Half Orc Half Draenei.

Killrogg, Zuluded, Durotan, Rend are all actual canon character.

As always C+C welcome, Reviews Appreciated. Oh and here is a little something from a friend of mine :)

**A Cute Omake from UNSPACY000: I shall canonize it!**

"…. cally... burrrrr..." Two year old Arturia muttered in her sleep.

"Should we put another blanket on her?" her father asked.

"No, she just says that even when she's burning up," her mother said.

"Darn... I just wanted an excuse to wrap her up in an adorable bundle again," her father admitted.

"You know what, you're right," his wife said. "I'll be right back with a blanket to do that with."


	7. Chapter 6

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

**Warning!** This is more of a spin off instead of a direct cross with modern day fate stay night. I like saber and so I am gonna put her in the WoW world.

Also, this fic take place during the first Orc -Human war.

Special Thanks to the following bad asses mother fu- I mean editors. Cheeser, Wayfarer and Xbox432 ^_^ Seriously guys, thanks!

Lioness of Stormwind

Chapter 6

**** Goldshire, Midday****

The town of Goldshire was a large and prosperous one that benefited from being in the shadow of Stormwind City. It took in imports for the larger city while at the same time accommodating warehouses for merchants to export goods in bulk. As such, its defenses were formidable, being guarded by a garrison of five thousand men. It was in this town that Arturia and Lancelot found themselves, the first surprised by its activity while the latter smiled at the familiar sight.

"Apples! Get your fresh apples straight from Westfall!"

"Jewelry from the North! Exotic Jewelry's from the north, rare cuts that can't be found anywhere else!"

"Got your eye on somebody? Madam Barov's love potions will ensnare the love of your life!"

"Best blades in the land and I'll fight anyone that says otherwise!"

"It almost reminds me of Londonium," Saber observed as she watched the streets filled with people going about their daily lives. Stalls and shops were erected all through the main street. She turned around to see Lancelot purchasing two kabob sticks from a stall vendor.

Handing over one snack to his king, Lancelot made quick work of his own before tossing the stick onto the ground. "This world is quite similar to ours in many aspects, but wholly different in others," he stated asthey rode through town on horseback. He noticed that more than a few men leering at his king and glared at them.

"I've noticed the creatures in this land are a bit more... ill tempered," Saber observed having tried to find a garbage bin of some kind before giving up and tossing it onto the ground too. "So where are we heading?"

Looking around, Lancelot turned right at another street where many Inns stood side by side. "Ah, here we are, the Red Dragon Inn." Lancelot pointed to a picture depicting such a creature on a sign board.

As Saber dismounted she spied a familiar face that just exited the Inn clad in Brotherhood black armor. Lancelot's squire, Gawain.

"Sir Lancelot, Lady Arturia!" Gawain beamed as he caught sight of the two, saluting his superior. "Lady Fordragon sent word; the procession shall be ready to leave for Stormwind within the hour!"

Saber turned to look at Lancelot and gave him a questioning look. "Procession?" she inquired. "I thought you said it was just an audience with the King?"

"There may have been some last minutes changes," Lancelot evaded, suddenly finding the wall very interesting. "King Adamant MIGHT have decided that the defenders of Three Corners deserved a grand welcome before a more exclusive affair with the nobles."

"... We're going to be paraded around in the streets, aren't we?" Saber accused and saw her knight nodding affirmatively. She HATED parades. She thought they were a frivolous waste of time, but everyone else seemed to enjoy them.

"You will be riding upfront with the Governor General," Lancelot announced and winced inwardly as he saw the displeased look on his king face. Yup... his king still hated victory parades. Then in a more somber tone he added. "Knight Commander Armin's son would also be riding with Lady Fordragon in place of his father. You will find that he's just as honorable as his father."

"Is he a Brotherhood Knight too?" Saber inquired curiously. She saw Gawain sneak a glance at her but she paid it little mind.

"No, he's a garrison commander stationed at Grand Hamlet," Lancelot answered his king before prompting her towards the Inn. "We will need to be in full battle regalia, you understand."

"Of course," Saber nodded before she made her way inside the Tavern. Upon entering, she was surprised to find it filled with the Militia men from her section. She picked up snippets of their conversations as she looked at her troops fondly.

"The fancy puff gave me this new shirt and it itches, haven't they ever heard of good old bear skin?!"

"You shouldn't be drinking another one, Thad. Do you want to look drunk before the people of Stormwind?"

"Bah! Another one won't hurt!"

"It was very kind for Lady Fordragon to give the other girls beauty products wasn't it, Angelia?"

"I know, and it's imported from Lordaeron itself! I heard the ladies of the courts there use this quite often."

"And you would know that how? You've never been to the north!"

And on the conversation went. Eventually, it was an older man, clad in a fine blue outfit that spotted Arturia at the entrance looking over the proceeding with a content expression on her face. Snapping to his feet so quickly that it startled his table mates, he proclaimed loudly. "COMMANDER ARTURIA! WE ARE HONORED BY YOUR PRESENCE!" and executed a near perfect salute in the blonde's direction.

The noise in the tavern immediately stopped as everyone hastily stood up. Straightening out their uniforms to make sure they were presentable, they also executed a textbook perfect salute. "COMMANDER ARTURIA!" they shouted as one.

"At ease soldiers," Saber replied as she ran her eyes through the crowd and returned their salute. Her gesture seemed to make the group stand taller for some odd reason.

Lancelot glanced at Gawain from the corner of his eye and smiled as the boy looked at his king in awe. His king tended to do that to the uninitiated. He saw an older man in his fifties, who was obviously slightly drunk but still wearing the militia uniform, hastily bring over a cup of ale to his king.

"Would you do us the honor of sharing a cup with us?" the old man offered only to be pulled back by a farmer form Arturia village.

"What are you thinking you old fool!" Martin, a farmer from Marshal hissed dangerously. Behind him several other men from Marshal were also giving the old man a dirty look. Arturia was too good for such low class drinks.

However, before things could escalate, Saber took the foaming cup from the old man's hand and raised it. "To those that are no longer with us," she added respectfully before putting the cup to her lips and, much to everyone shock, began drinking the beverage.

The Militia was stunned as the pint size girl continued to drink from the cup without taking any breaks. Finally, the pretty blonde girl tilted her head back one last time before she removed the cup from her lips. She then turned it over to show that the content of the cup was empty. The entire room let out a loud roar of approval for their commander when she did so. Saber didn't know it, but the people here were now hers and would walk through the twisting nether if she so wished it. Unnoticed by her, men from other divisions were also present in the tavern and, witnessing her grand gesture to her troops, would spread the story, adding it to her growing legend.

"Are you sure that was wise, my king?" Lancelot whispered in a low voice as the militia started chanting his king's name as he looked pointedly at the cup.

"This? It's weaker then what we use to drink at the round table," Saber replied in a low voice. She handed the cup back to the old man who respectfully took it from her hand before turning towards Gawain. "Now show me where you stowed my armor, we are pressed for time."

Gawain nodded hurriedly and showed Arturia to her room. A few moments later Gawain was next to Lancelot and handed him the keys to their room, as the knight and squire were to bunk together.

Upstairs, Saber locked the door to her room before turning around and taking in her surroundings. The room was spacious, almost as big as her home in Marshal. Near the windows was a bath surrounded by a screen. Hanging on the screen were several outfits that, while similar to her current one, differed in color. There was a royal blue one, identical to the one she was wearing, a conservative black one, a white one that exposed her arms, and a red colored one that looked a bit too extravagant for her taste. Dipping her hand in the bath, she felt the temperature and realized that it had been drawn recently. She frowned disapprovingly at the assortment of flowers and flower petals floating on the water, but removed her clothes to enjoy the hot bath.

After a fifteen minute soak, Saber dried herself off and chose her familiar blue outfit. Putting it on, she moved to the foot of the bed where the trunk from the Governor General rested. Opening it up, she slowly dressed herself in the familiar feeling battle armor. Temporarily sheathing Caliburn in an ordinary wooden sheath, she fastened it to her side as she finished donning her armor. She even saw a finely made royal blue ribbon for her hair. Tugging on the fabric she could tell that it was quite durable and should hold her hair together in battle.

Her greaves made heavy thudding sounds as she descended the stairs, Saber heard the noise in the tavern cut out as reached the first floor. She saw all eyes in the room were upon her and gave them a curt nod before making her way to where Lancelot was standing grinning like a fool with Gawain by his side.

"Quite a 'majestic' sight, wouldn't you say, Gawain?" Lancelot asked conspiratorially to his squire, whose eyes had been glued to his king the moment she had descended. The knowledge that she was a woman was not lost on him and now colored his perception of her. Before, he would have said she made a powerful kingly sight, but now, it was as if an angel descended and decided to grace the unworthy with her presence. He could see the reverent awe in the eyes of the people in the room as she walked passed them.

"Let's go, we shouldn't be late," Saber ordered, acknowledging Gawain with a curt nod as she walked out the Inn followed by Lancelot. A few minutes later they were in a camp a half mile away from Goldshire where they saw the soldiers from the Battle of Three Corners being arranged single file. At the head of the soldiers was a familiar woman, adorned in decorative armor, who spotted her and rode toward her party.

"My word, is that you, Arturia?" Governor General of Redridge, Mara Fordragon marveled at the sight of the girl before her. She herself was in custom armor that was fashionably tailored, including real gold trim and intricately designed runes. She knew the little blond girl was pretty, but in the armor she had gifted her the girl gave off a commanding presence few could match.

"Greetings Governor General Fordragon, I thank you for the armor," Saber intoned as she saluted the woman.

"Think nothing of it," Mara waved off the girl's thanks as she rode her horse around Arturia to take in her profile. She had a feeling by the end of the day, this little girl would be swamped with marriage offers. Maybe she'd introduce Arturia to Bolvar, the boy was just about her age and was already serving as a squire in the capital to a notable knight. Motioning the girl to follow her she said. "Come, you will be riding a different warhorse for the parade."

Saber turned to Lancelot and dismissed him with a nod as she rode after the Governor General. A moment later she saw a graying woman in her late forties lecture the banner holder on his posture before ordering the other soldiers around comically. The woman was obviously from the planning committee sent by Stormwind. The retainer, satisfied with her task, focused on a man about Lancelot's age who appeared to be quite displeased with her badgering.

"I swear, you old bat, if you don't stop nagging I'll – Oh, Lady Fordragon!" the black haired man greeted the woman in a friendly, familiar manner before turning his eyes to her companion and was stunned speechless. A moment later he recovered and tentatively guessed, "Is _this_ the Lioness of Three Corners?"

"Arturia of Marshal's Keep," Saber introduced herself after Mara nodded and saluted the man in a respectful manner. "Your father was a good man and our town owes him much."

The Scion of Armin bowed his head sadly for a moment before looking resolute. "Thank you for your kind words Milad- I mean Commander Arturia of Marshal." he corrected before placing a hand to his chest. "I am Marcus Armin, son of Haldur Armin, and it is a pleasure to meet the Lioness of Three Corners."

"Lioness or not, we need to start moving, it's almost time for the parade. Come along, girl," the retainer from Stormwind clucked. She grabbed the reins of Arturia's mount and moved her away to a pure white stallion in grey armor. "You'll be riding on him. He might be a touch wild but you'll just have to show him who's boss."

Saber dismounted her chestnut steed to look at the warhorse before her. She stroked its fur a bit before mounting it with short hop. She immediately felt the horse tense up before she willed it to obey her. After a silent battle of wills she felt the horse relax, submitting to her.

"Good, it appeares that one won't be giving us any trouble. Come along then, you'll be to the left of Lady Fordragon while Lord Arminwill be to her right, make sure you are only half a steed behind her at all time and most importantly," the retainer rattled on before she gave Arturia a dead serious look. "Smile and wave, the people will love that!"

Saber felt a twitch develop in her left eye but positioned the horse as the rotund woman requested. Already the annoying retainer had flitted to some other poor ranking official. Taking her position at Lady Fordragon's side, Saber saw the Governor General give her a bemused expression.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Her family has served the Wrynn's line for generations now," Mara said, looking fondly at the chubby woman making a militia soldier straighten out his clothes.

"Annoying old bat," Marcus muttered unkindly under his breath. He then turned to give the blond another look and for once wished he was not married to his battle axe of a wife. Ah, what could have been.

A moment later a horn sounded signaling their departure. Mara Fordragon took the lead, raising her hand in the air before giving the go ahead to move out.

The group made good time with such an orderly march and about an hour later they were in front of Stormwind City where there they were greeted by Archmage Medivh who magically enhanced his voice and grandly announced.

"**LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! PEOPLE OF STORMWIND! YOUR DEFENDERS, THE HEROES OF THREE CORNERS!" **Medivh's voice boomed as he spread his arms out to the crowd in a grand sweep. A moment later after the declaration, there was a loud cheer from inside the city.

Saber looked up at the impressive castle that mirrored her own Camelot in its grandeur and noticed the soldiers manning the walls. As she approached she could see the Guardsmen on the wall giving her proceeding soldiers a salute as they crossed the massive gate of the city itself. Nodding at the gesture of respect, Saber returned their salute.

Upon entering the city, Saber auditory senses were assaulted by the screams and cheers of the citizens that were lined up on either side of the city street. There were flower petals of all kinds raining down around her, giving the air a slight fragrance. To either side of the road, to prevent the citizen from mobbing the heroes, were a single solid line of Stormwind Guards forming an armored wall as they faced the civilians to discourage people from getting too unruly. Already she could pick up scattered bits and pieces of the populace's comments. To her annoyance, a lot of it pertained to her.

"Look at Lady Mara Fordragon! I heard she bested dozens of the beasties without any help!" a man commented.

"Is that the Lioness? She's so pretty!" a little girl gushed.

"My word, are you sure that's her? Really? She's barely older then my daughter!" a middle age man said in shock.

"Wow, she looks just like the picture! No, even better!" a young teen said in a smitten voice.

"Over here Lioness! Look at me!" a little boy crowed from his father shoulders.

"Roar for us! Please!" a pair of pubescent teen girls pleaded over the crowd noise.

Saber tightened her grip on the reins and maintained her stoic mask looking straight ahead. The only thing that gave away her ire was the subtle tick of her left eyebrow.

+++Stormwind Keep +++

After a long and arduous two hour march through the city, the procession finally arrived at the castle keep. It was here that King Adamant Wrynn III, a man sixty years of age, addressed his loyal soldiers. The Clerics of Northshire had done all they could, but everyone knew that the king was not long for the world. Despite his frail looking state, he still wore royal battle armor and moved unassisted. Standing on the Keep's balcony he watched over the assembled solders and raised his hand up high to call for silence.

"Sons and Daughters of Stormwind, I welcome you to YOUR city!" King Adamant declared loudly. He received a loud roar of approval for his opening statement. Motioning with his hands for them to be quiet, he continued. "You honor me with your praise but you should not. For today it is WE who shall honor YOU for the defense of our country!"

Again another loud roar accompanied the King's statement and once more he gestured for them to quiet down.

"Though I wish I can meet each and every one of you personally, sadly the Keep is too small, I hope you understand," King Adamant stated in mock regret and heard the laughter from his soldiers. "However! I will be meeting your Commanders and through them, I will KNOW you! My only regret was that I was not there to lead you myself!"

Another loud roared accompanied his last statement and a chant of "For the King! For the King! For the King!" made it around the military and civilian crowd.

Once more, but with a pleased smile on his face, King Adamant gesture for his citizen to quiet down. "So enjoy this fair city, you have earned it! Every soldier will be awarded 20 gold pieces for their heroic defense at Three Corners! The people of Stormwind and I thank you for your service! Enjoy yourselves!" he shouted loudly even as the roar and cheer of approval began again.

Saber who had been looking up blinked as King Adamant retreated. She had to admit he was a good orator and though his body appeared frail, his sheer will forced his body to obey. She could not help but wonder if Britannia would have been better off with someone like him as king. There was a movement to her right as Governor General Mara Fordragon turned to face the soldiers.

"You heard the king, enjoy yourself but do not cause trouble for the locals, you are DISMISSED!" Mara shouted as the soldiers roared in approval before they chanted her surname. "ENOUGH! GO!"

The Soldiers, after gaining permission from their superior, slowly streamed into the city, some regaling the populace with tales of their deeds.

Mara turned to look at the small group and nodded. "Now we go and greet the court," she said with a hard look in her eyes. Dismounting quickly, she saw several squires already rushing over to take her horse.

Saber also dismounted and saw a boy around her physical age approach her. He must have been sick as his face was red and he had trouble meeting her eyes. "Are you well, squire?" she inquired politely.

"Bolvar!" Mara addressed affectionately as she had spotted her brother approaching Arturia. She grinned as she saw the way he was shyly stealing glances at the girl. He was smitten! That was so adorable! Grinning mischievously she walked up to her brother and startled him by putting her gauntlet hand onto his shoulder. "See something you like, little brother?"

"Sister!" Bolvar Fordragon, heir to the house Fordragon, squeaked out in a strained voice.

Mara looked at her blond companion and smiled. "Lemme introduce you two. Arturia this is my little brother Bolvar, Bolvar, Arturia of Marshal Town," she finished and looked at Arturia to judge her reaction. To her disappointment there was nothing there in her eyes except a cordial respect for Bolvar.

"L- L-lady Arturia," Bolvar stammered out and cursed his tongue for being so tied around the beauty. "It is an honor to meet you, I heard about what you did at Three Corners."

"It is an honor for me to meet another member of the Governor General's family," Saber answered politely and handed her reins to the still oddly red faced boy. "My steed will be in your care."

"Of course!" Bolvar nodded eagerly as he took the reins and hurriedly took it to the royal stables.

'Completely smitten,' Mara thought gleefully to herself as her brother had departed without even saying goodbye. "Shall we go now, Arturia?"

The heroes of Three Corners or their substitute were escorted into the Keep, the heart of Stormwind castle, by the elite Royal Guards.

Saber walked into the stone building and was once more reminded of Camelot and her own keep, ahead of her were the twenty honor guards lining the wall with other guards at every entrance. Their eyes were not lax in the slightest and appeared alert at all times. It was a few minutes later when they reached a large, decorative, wide wooden door, beyond which she could hear sounds of festivities and conversations.

"Ah the guests of honor are here," a bald elderly gentleman in royal blue robes with the Wrynn family crest said respectfully. "I am the Steward to House Wrynn, let's announce your presence shall we?"

Mara Fordragon nodded respectfully and held out her arms to show that she was ready.

"Announcing the Heroes of Three Corners! Governor General Lady Mara Fordragon of Redridge!" a middle aged chamberlain announced loudly. The moment Mara stepped through the curtains, there was a sound of thunderous applause.

Saber listened as the sound of applause echoed loudly from inside the banquet hall. After a few minutes the chamberlain nodded and announced the next person in line of importance. Based on rank alone, she knew she would be last.

"In Knight Commander Haldur Armin of the Brotherhood's place, Captain Marcus Armin of Grand Hamlet!" the chamberlain stated grandly. Once more there was a thunderous applause.

Slowly, the other commanders were introduced, leaving Arturia standing alone in the hallway with the honor guard. The Royal Guard saw the girl had closed her eyes and had clasped her hand in front of her. They wrongly assumed that she was nervous.

"And finally, the Lioness of Three Corners herself, Militia Commander Arturia of Marshal!" the chamberlain's voice boomed and turned to see the girl who had her eyes closed a moment ago open them and look at him. His breath caught in his throat as the girl, who he had thought was scared out of her small bumpkin mind, exuded a regal aura. As if she owned the place, the blonde haired girl walked forward into the banquet hall.

Saber heard the announcement of her name, but it was accompanied by silence. They were probably curious as to who she was. While she was the daughter of Athan and Igraine, she was ALSO King Arthur of Camelot and so, exuding her calm aura, Saber walked confidently into the banquet hall. Upon entering, she took the layout of the room in with a glance. Two long tables were to either side of her while directly in front of her was King Adamant himself dining at his own table; the old but fair woman to his right could only be his queen. The handsome man to his right must have been the prince and the pretty woman next to him, his wife. Taking it all in within an instant, Saber knew what she had to do next.

She had made peace with herself regarding her kingship. But that did not mean she wanted the mantle of leadership, not after what it entailed. If given to her, Saber would rule as she had but in this new land her secret desire had been fulfilled. She was not of royal blood, she was not destined for greatness she was a simple country girl. If she did not want to rule, she would have to bend knee to someone else who did.

The nobles in the Banquet Hall were stunned silent as the small girl walked in. Many had been unsure as to what to make of this so called Lioness of Three Corners and assumed that she was nothing more than a girl who distinguished herself in battle. They could not have been more wrong. The pretty girl had an aura about her that demanded all eyes be upon her as she walked into the room. Not a hint of fear, not a trace of nervousness, nothing could be read on her impassive face as she made her way toward King Adamant's place at the table.

Arturia strode purposefully toward the king's table and after she reached what she judged was the halfway point, she stopped in place. For a moment she was as still as a statue before she slowly drew Caliburn from its sheath. Saber heard shocked gasped and whispers around her as she placed Caliburn in front of her and did something she haven't done since she taken up the Golden Sword of Assured Victory.

Bending to one knee, Saber slowly knelt. "I, Arturia, by your summon have come. What would you command of me, Your Majesty?" she proclaimed in a strong and clear voice that ranged throughout the room.

King Adamant did not know what to expect from the Lioness of Three Corners but figured he would honor her just like any of his commanders that fought in that battle regardless of her station. He had seen the picture of her but he had assumed it was a romanticism of the girl and that he would have been disappointed in the real thing. Yet, the girl before him appeared to have walked straight out of said picture and was now kneeling before him declaring her loyalty to Stormwind. Most surprising of all was the mysterious golden sword in her hand, the one that SHOULD have been at Stonecarine Lake. But whether it was a replica or the real thing remained to be seen. One thing for certain, the sword suited her well.

Gripping his armchair with his hand, King Adamant pushed himself up to face her. He could not understand why but he knew that in the presence of this girl he did not want to show any weakness. "Stand, Arturia of Marshal," he ordered and watched as the pretty blond girl stood to her full height. She was still short, but the aura she radiated made her seem bigger than she really was. "Before anything else, I have to ask, where did you get that sword?"

The nobles' eyes were riveted to the scene before them. Their King, Adamant Wrynn III, had always exuded a commanding presence so powerful that you could not be help but be drawn in by his charisma. Yet the girl standing directly across from their lord had a similar presence of her own. Their eyes darted back and forth between the two and found themselves unable to determine who deserved more of their attention; their monarch or a simple girl from the swamplands.

"I retrieved it from Stonecarine Lake, Sire," Saber answered honestly as she placed both of her hand on the pommel of Caliburn leaning her weight upon it. Unknowingly, she was recreating the battle pose she was becoming famous for.

The answered stunned the old king as he looked at the blade in the girl hand she was leaning on. "You pulled the sword from the stone?" Adamant asked softly. "Truly?"

"Yes, Sire, I did." Saber nodded in affirmation.

"We have tried for so long..." King Adamant began to trail off before he looked at the sword again. "Does the sword have a name?"

"Its name is Caliburn, Sire," Saber replied and heard the gasp from the hall. Not even the serving men and women were moving now.

"Caliburn..." King Adamant softly, tasting the name on his lips before smiling. Yes, it was a fitting name. He then did something that shocked all in attendance, he got up and walked around the table to approach Arturia. He locked eyes with her and saw steel there that was as great if not greater than his own. Looking at the sword again he held out his hand. "Do you mind?"

Saber never flinched from Adamant's gaze as she reversed the sword, held it briefly to her face and extended it outward to the old king. She sensed the man before her was another who could have been worthy of Caliburn.

King Adamant, in awe, slowly took the sword from Arturia's hand and marveled at it glorious craftsmanship. This was no dwarven made blade, nor was it elvish, it was not even like the High Blade Lothar found. He could feel the power radiating from the sword, a power that seemed to slightly diminish in his grasp. It glowed in Arturia's hand but not for him. Reverently he handed the sword back to her with the utmost respect and saw her nod at him in approval, and he was surprised to find that he appreciated it.

Suddenly, the booming laughter of the old king could be heard echoing the Banquet Hall, his old body could be seen chortling in front of the pretty blond.

"Your Majesty?" Anduin Lothar asked in concern as he slowly stood up from his seat. He was also one of the many people that had been captivated by the scene. He had always wondered, even as a boy, how the entire sword looked and now he knew.

It was then Saber did something that surprised all in attendance. Her stern expression softening, taking a perplexed look, and her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly turned the once stern figure into an adorable girl of sixteen. "Your Majesty?" Saber asked in a concerned tone staring at the old king.

King Adamant was startled by the sudden change. The girl now looked like a girl the reports had portrayed her to be. Why it hadn't even crossed his mind to think of her as a woman. Then of course the way her voice and gaze softened, it made him feel years younger. By the Light, he felt a connection with this girl that he never would have thought possible! Once again at the absurdity of the whole situation, he laughed out loud once more but was suddenly assaulted by a coughing fit.

Seeing King Adamant cough, Saber moved swiftly and held the king by his elbow to support him, unknowingly causing all in attendance to be shocked by her audacity.

Adamant recovered from his coughing fit just in time to notice the concern look from his wife, son, and his steward. He had to smile, his retainers were forever worried about him. It was then he felt a gentle grip on his arm and looked into the emerald eyes of Arturia. Her eyes were no longer hard and, instead, full of concern for him. Smiling at the girl, he patted her gauntlet and let her know he was okay.

Saber released her hold on the old king and stepped back respectfully to her previous spot.

Still smiling at the girl, Adamant lifted his arms as if to encompass the whole room. "Arturia of Marshal, daughter of Athan and Igraine," he started and was pleased to see the girl looking at him in respect. "I do not ask for your service nor for you to serve me. Instead, I ask that you serve Stormwind and defend her like you did at Three Corners."

Saber nodded and replied. "I would have gladly done so, even if you had not asked it of me, Your Majesty," and she saw a pleased smile on the old king's face.

"Then from now on, you are no longer the Lioness of Three Corners," Adamant declared as he looked at the girl who was giving off her regal aura once more. "I shall crown you the Lioness of Stormwind in the hope that you shall defend her with the same ferocity you did Three Corners!"

"I will do my utmost, King Adamant Wrynn III, to protect your people," Saber respectfully agreed as one king to another. She saw the surprised look in the old man eyes and saw him return the same look. He knew, at least on some level, the old king knew.

"Come, I think I have startled enough people," Adamant commented ruefully as he noticed that his retainer was waiting in the wings to attend to him. "Enjoy the feast."

"By your leave," Saber titled her head respectfully. A retainer walked out to escort her to her seat, which was for some odd reason near Lady Mara Fordragon. The moment she got to her seat she saw Mara eyes burning with questions.

"Why didn't you tell me you pulled the golden sword of Stonecarine Lake!" Mara Fordragon hissed softly under her breath and then looked at the sheath the girl put it in. "And that is an ugly sheath for such a beautiful sword!"

"I did not know of its legendary status until last night," Saber answered honestly. Of course what she really meant was that she did not know of Caliburn's legendary status in Stormwind. "As for the sheath, it is the best I can do until I can afford a better one."

"I am having one made especially for it and no, you will not refuse my gift," Mara stated firmly seeing the girl begin to protest at the gift. "You know, I tried to pull that sword out of the stone every single time I made my way to Stormwind? That sword deserves better!"

"If it would placate your anger," Saber reluctantly accepted as she looked at Caliburn on her waist. Mara was right though, at least Excalibur had Avalon. Caliburn deserved better.

"Let's eat, I believe you made quite a scene today, little Lioness," Mara said with a quirk of her lips. She had to restrain herself from hugging the small girl who turned red faced at the nickname.

King Adamant was beset by his family immediately as he returned to the table where they fretted over him until they were sure he was alright. He had to admit, his exchange with young Arturia had taken a lot out of him. Why he felt that way, he could not quite grasp, but it was as if he was in a battle of some sort with the girl and came to a draw, and only because she had not pushed the confrontation. A moment later he realized that it was a battle for respect, her respect. If he could not make her respect him, then he would have lost. Surprisingly she had passed his subtle test with ease, a test she didn't even know she was doing. It was the test he did when taking the measure of someone, to find any flaw in their persona, any vice. But the girl was flawless, as far as he could tell. He smiled once more to himself, that girl would be someone to watch out for, and he'd definitely keep an eye on her.

"Why did you not take the sword, Your Majesty?" the Archmage Medivh said suddenly, his eyes riveted on the young blond girl at the table making small talk with Lady Fordragon.

"That sword was not mine to take Medivh and I should think you know better," Adamant chastised harshly. The Archmage had been strange as of late but he was still a trusted adviser. Suddenly the Archmage serious expression turned into a disarming smile.

"I do. The sword chose her, not the other way around," Medivh smiled ruefully before turning to drink from his goblet. "It would not have been right to take it from her, but it had been your dream to wield that sword, was it not?"

Adamant relaxed at Medivh's blunt tone and smiled at the Archmage. "Ah but I did wizard, I asked to touch it and the girl let me. So I have fulfilled my dream, if only for a moment," he replied with a smile, recalling the feeling of Caliburn in his hand.

"Yes, dreams are always nice to have, much better than nightmares, I should say," Medivh finished before downing his cup. Standing up he bowed low to the Adamant. "I believe I am full now and I do have pressing business to attend to. I must complete my research on how the Orcs came here in the first place. By your leave, Sire?"

Adamant sighed and nodded. "You can go. Take care to rest. This kingdom needs you to fight off the orcish threat if they return."

"I shall endeavor to do all that I can to ensure the safety of our great nation," Medivh replied before transforming into a crow and flying away.

"That boy has changed so much over the years," Adamant muttered softly and saw Llane look sadly at him.

"It's the burden of being the head mage of Karazhan, but if anyone can find out the true purpose of these Orcs, it'll be him. I'd stake my life on it," Llane Wrynn, Heir to Stormwind, vouched for his friend.

++++ Karazhan +++

Medivh flew back into his study before assuming a human guise once more. Angrily, he began to sweep everything off of his table. "CURSE that girl!" He shouted savagely. "It's all her fault!"

_'No Sargeras, you always underestimate humans and that is why you will ultimately lose_,' a voice stated from inside Medivh head.

"BE SILENT!" Medivh roared. He had all but destroyed the original soul of this body yet traces of him still lingered. Well it didn't matter. Once Stormwind fell, and it would fall, he would make his way to Kalimdor with his Orc Army and absorb the Well's power once and for all! The Kingdoms to the North were weak, inconsequential, and could be destroyed at any time at his leisure. No, if he was to succeed Stormwind HAD to be destroyed first.

Closing his eyes he cast a spell and concentrated on making contact with the Orc Warlock known as Gul'dan.

'_Great One! I am humbled by your presence!' _the Orc groveled in his mind.

_'Silence!'_ Medivh commanded. '_When will Garona be ready for the... peace entreaty?'_

_'She should be there soon with the envoy,_' the Orc told the Archmage. _'I made sure that she has been properly...conditioned.'_

'_Make sure that she is. We need them to believe her__,__'_ Medivh warned before cutting off their mental link.

Sitting down and pouring himself a drink, he gulped without pause before tossing the goblet against the wall. "Who are you, Arturia of Marshal?" he mused.

TBC...

NEXT: Actions and Reactions

AN: Yeah I sorta picture Saber theme music playing whens she entered the Banquet Hall and stood in all her magnificent glory. You know, the theme where she was first introduced to us in Fate Stay Night :D So this is pretty much Stormwind Party and how she get her title of a sort. :D I am glad people like this fic and I love how a lot of people guess on what I try to do. I am happy to say so far only one person have gotten it half right on what will transpire but not even then ^_^

Oh it's on now.

Index Thingy:

Goldshire: Actual Wow Location! It is but a former shadow of what it once was, I just extrapolate to what it could have been at its height.

King Adamant: Notice he is alive, he never died during the first Orc invasion :D He was said to be a very strong king and it was he who beat back the Orcs the first time they invaded. He died but he was old and sickly then too.

Medivh – Is the Last Guardian, pretty much he has unimaginable power that has protected Azeroth from the Burning Legion from invasion. I would say he is like Zelretch in a way as he too can traverse time and dimensions but stick to the prime one. Example of this is how he recognized you as time travelers in the WoW Dungeon, The Black Morass. There you protected him from being killed by Dragons and helped him open the Dark Portal. He KNEW you were time travelers and granted you access to his tower.

His tower also have stuff that could cause people to go crazy and mages coveted his "Workshop" and its items. You get to visit it eventually, all the way to the top where there are dimensional tears everywhere. Shit got freaky in there.

All through this he had two personalities, the demon one that had subverted him and the real one which still held back the demon one on some level from wrecking true havoc. He was complex but a traitor at the same time.

As always, thanks for the reviews and comments on this fic:) It truly is awesome and rewarding to have. C+C Welcomed , Reviews Appreciated :D


	8. Chapter 7

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

Warning! This is more of a spin off instead of a direct cross with modern day Fate/ Stay Night.

Also, this fic take place during the first Orc -Human war.

Special thanks to the following three who help me clean and spit polish this fic! The Big Cheese, Cheeser42, The farer of ways, Wayfarer! And the ultimate gamer Xbox432. Without their help this fic look ugly, i mean like Ugly ugly. Like... female Orc ugly. And if you play wow, that fucking ugly!

Lioness of Stormwind

Chapter 7

***** Stormwind ****

Saber walked out of Stormwind Keep, giving the royal guards a curt nod as she passed them down the steps. If she had to guess, she would say it was almost midnight. Looking at the city outline in the dark illuminated by street lamps of all things, Saber had to marvel at its size, being built into the mountain and all. The castle, for lack of a better word, was cleaner than most she had visited in her old life. The water in the nearby river reflected the stars in the sky, and little boats could be seen sailing on it, ferrying people around even this late at night. Here and there she could see a group of soldiers on their patrol routes through the vast city to ensure its populace's safety, which was an admirable endeavor.

"Your Mahhhh- Lady!" Lancelot shouted from the bottom of the keep, waving to his King enthusiastically as she descended the steps. Next to him were three horses. One was the white steed his king rode upon, the other his, and the last was Gawain's. He looked to his squire, who had been nodding off, suddenly snapping to attention.

"Sir Lancelot, Squire Gawain," Saber nodded to the two in acknowledgment. "Did you two enjoy the town's festivities?"

"Some more than others I should say, eh Gawain?" Lancelot grinned at his squire, giving the younger man a dubious nudge. "That priestess from the Cathedral was quite sweet on you wasn't she?"

Gawain went red in the face before looking at Arturia with a worried frown. Turning back to his master he tried to explain his. "She just needed help being escorted to the Cathedral. You saw the crowd, it was dangerous for her to go alone. All I did was accompany her."

"All the way to her bedchamber?" Lancelot countered with a raised eyebrow. "That woman had more in mind then the Light's scriptures, I'll tell you that much."

"Sir Lancelot! It was not like that!" a red faced Gawain protested.

"If it was not like that, then why did I walk in to find you sitting on her bed while she was in the next room bathing?" Lancelot raised an eyebrow at his squire. It had been getting late, and, needing his squire to greet his king, he had been directed by the head priest to were young Gawain was last seen. He hadn't known that young Gawain was with a pretty priestess, if he had, then he wouldn't have bothered the young lad.

"She asked me to wait until she finished bathing so she could show a token of her thanks for my assistance," Gawain explained his action as if it was the most sensible thing in the world. "Nothing improper was going on I assure you."

Lancelot face palmed into his gauntlet and moaned in defeat at the denseness of his squire. "It's Castle Anthrax all over again," he mumbled softly before he saw his King giving him a hard look.

"Sir Lancelot," Saber cut in, her voice full of authority. Giving him a knowing look, she continued. "Have you forgotten? We do not speak of that. Ever."

"Speak of what? You mean Galahad and his prie-," Lancelot started to elaborate but was stopped by a stern glare from his king. Right, the round table secret oath was still in effect. "Yes, Your- I mean Commander."

Gawain saw what exchanged between Commander Arturia and Sir Lancelot but didn't know what to make of it.

"Right then, time to get back to the inn I suppose," Lancelot stated, changing the subject quickly before holding the reins to his King's horse out for the smaller blonde.

Saber took the reins from her knight and had just hopped up on the mount's back when a figure brushed passed her to hug Lancelot. 'Who?' she thought as she blinked at a pretty woman throwing herself into the knight's arms.

"Lance you were here?" the womanly figure asked happily as she continued to cling onto Lancelot neck.

"Of course I was, Gwen," Lancelot replied before hugging the woman back softly. "I had thought you'd left the banquet earlier."

'Gwen?!' Saber thought in shock.

"I wanted to, but Luke was concerned about these Orcs and had stayed back to get more information," the woman identified as Gwen answered. She separated herself from the famous knight, revealing herself to be raven haired beauty. It was then she turned around and saw Saber. "Commander Arturia, I did not see you see you there. My apologies!"

Saber recovered a moment later and tentatively asked the beautiful woman a question. The woman obviously held affection for Lancelot. "Your name is Gwen? As in Guinevere?"

"No, she's not!" Lancelot quickly cut in knowing where his king was going with this. Frankly he too had been surprised when he first learned her name. "Her name is Gwen as in Gwendolyn. She is my sister."

Saber scrutinized the woman, seeing that her features were indeed similar to that of Lancelot, before nodding. "It is an honor to meet you, Gwen," she tilted her head politely from atop her horse.

Gwen, sister to Lancelot De Luc, looked between the pretty blond country girl and then to her brother. "You two know each other?" she asked, surprised at the familiarity between the two.

Before anyone could speak, a carriage escorted by two knights on horseback wearing Stormwind gray and blue arrived. Upon spotting Lancelot, the two knights dismounted and rushed over to the black armored knight. "Brother!" they shouted as they pounded their armor plated fists onto the Brotherhood knight's shoulders.

"Victor! Theodore!" Lancelot laughed in joy as he embraced his little brothers. "Are you two causing trouble for our sister again?"

"No brother, sister causes enough trouble on her own," one of the armored knights replied before he was hit on his shoulder guard by the woman in question. "Careful, sister dear. It's plate; you'll hurt your hand."

"Off with your helmets you two! There are ladies present!" Gwen chided. She gave her two little brothers fond looks and saw them scan their surroundings before locking on to Arturia and letting out a gasp.

"The Lioness of Stormwind..." the first armored figure breathed through his helmet, before realizing he still had it on. Taking off his helmet, he revealed a handsome, youthful face, much like Lancelot's, with the addition of a trimmed beard. "Commander Arturia, Knight Theodore at your service," he bowed.

The second knight also took off his helmet to reveal a man also in his early twenties that had soft, feminine features more like Gwen and the same eyes as Lancelot Those eyes were riveted to Arturia, greedily drinking in her form illuminated by the light of the full moon. Without bowing, he gave his greeting. "I am Knight Victor De Luc of Moonbrook... Marry me," he said seriously.

A bit taken aback by the blunt proposal, Saber drew herself to her full height atop her mount before replying. "I am afraid I must decline," With that she turned to Lancelot. "I will leave you to your family. Goodnight."

Victor De Luc's jaw dropped as he was turned down by the pretty blonde. Arturia gave his brother some sort of unreadable look, which could only mean one thing: the Lioness belonged to his brother. After all, few women could resist the De Luc charm. However, it was the panic on his brother's face that surprised him, as only Gwen had ever caused his famous brother to panic during their younger days.

"Your ma- Commander, you cannot travel the streets alone! Gawain and I will escort you there," Lancelot quickly stood in front of his king's steed, but gulped when he saw his King give him a dangerous look.

"Are you saying that mere ruffians could pose a threat to me?" Saber asked dangerously.

"No! I mean, that is, it's my duty to escort you back!" Lancelot answered, stammering slightly. In their original world, his King had always been followed by a small contingent of knights, but right now he was the only one available to perform that duty.

Gwen, observing the exchange between Lancelot and the pretty blonde, suddenly clapped her hands together in excitement. 'Lancelot's in love! I never thought I'd see the day!' she thought gleefully to herself. The boy, as she would forever think of him as a boy, usually had girls dancing to his tune. But here now was Lancelot dancing to the small blonde. It was simply adorable!

"Light damnation, brother, you never let us have any women of our own!" Victor De Luc accused his brother with a pointed finger. "You tamed the Lioness before anyone had a chance!"

"Silence!" Saber voice cut out clear over the group startling everyone. She first called to the one named Victor. "First of all, I am no doe-eyed maiden for your brother to woo, and he would have to be the last man on Azeroth for me to even consider him. So stop your baseless assumptions!"

Victor De Luc was stunned by the girl's response, feeling as if he was being reprimanded by a superior.

"Secondly," Saber continued wheeling her horse to face Lancelot. "Where I go is my business, if you want to come along then fine, but do not seek to bar my way with a flimsy excuse like 'it's dangerous'. Have you forgotten what I'm capable of?"

Lancelot gulped nervously, feeling his mouth dry as the hard look in his King's eyes bore down on him. A King's displeasure was a terrible thing indeed. "I – I am sorry, forgive me," he acquiesced immediately, turning to his family members he said hurriedly. "I will catch up with you tomorrow, Gwen."

"Lancelot," Saber cut in with a stern tone holding her knight's gaze. Opening her mouth she gave him a simple order. "Stay. Be with your family."

To the De Luc sibling's surprise, they saw that their beloved brother nodded in defeate and made to get out of the girl's way. Who was this girl that had their brother wrapped around her finger?

Gwen saw the worried expression in her little brother eyes and decided she should help her little brother out. "Excuse me, Commander Arturia. A moment of your time, if you please?" she asked politely. To her relief, the small blonde stopped and looked at her with a questioning gaze. Seeing her opening, she pressed on. "May I inquire as to where your inn is located?"

"Goldshire, The Red Dragon Inn," Saber answered.

"Oh dear, that is too far to travel this late at night, and that simply won't do," Gwen pointed out to the girl, seizing her opening aggressively. "Would you allow the Barrington Household to host you for the night?"

Saber looked over Lancelot's sister and sighed. She wasn't stupid, and she recognized what the woman was doing. Saber saw that the woman did look quite hopeful and truth be told, she felt that she might have been unduly harsh with Lancelot. A bit contrite she replied, "It would be my honor," she saw Lancelot's relieved look out of the corner of her eye and also noted the excited looks from Lancelot's brothers.

+++++++ The Next Day ++++

Saber was woken up by a soft knock on her door and once again found that she was staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Rising up from her bed, she blinked the sleepiness away as she heard yet another small knock.

"Lady Arturia?" a soft, feminine voice made itself known from the other side of her door.

It was one of the Barrington Household servants, no doubt. "Come in," Saber acknowledged and saw the door latch open up as three young maids around her physical age walked into the room. One of the maids had dull blonde hair, while the other two had heads of hair that were similar shades of red.

"Lady Arturia, my name is Mareynn, and the two with me are called Sophie and Tarah, "the blonde, introduced herself and her two compatriots with a respectful curtsy. "The Lady Barrington sent us to attend to your needs. How may we be of assistance?"

Saber was at a loss for words. Hand maidens, they sent her hand maidens. Hand maidens were for women like Guinevere or Morgan not her. She much preferred servants or stewards. Was she really that girlish to other people? "I do not require assistance. I am quite capable of getting myself ready," she answered.

"Of course Lady Arturia," the blonde, who was clearly in charge, replied, continuing to stand impassively.

Blinking at the motion, or lack thereof, and the awkward silence that followed, Saber got up while the three maids stood dutifully in the same spot. No sooner had Saber left the bed was she beset by the head maid while her two helpers began to draw a bath. Amazingly, the room she was in had indoor plumbing of a sort. The maids flitted busily around her as they laid out a variety of dresses for her to wear. Saber noticed that they were the ones from her room in Goldshire. Clearly, someone had gone to retrieve her things. Snapping her eyes to her bedside she confirmed that Caliburn was unmoved.

"Your bath is ready, Lady Arturia," one of the red haired girls announced, before stepping aside to reveal the large wooden tub filled with water on which assorted flowers and petals floated.

Sighing, she accepted their help and dropped her sleeping clothes to step into the tub.

"Allow us, Lady Arturia," Mareynn offered, as she took out a strange liquid and started to lather up the shorter blonde's hair while the other two immediately set about scrubbing her legs and arms.

"Wow, your arms feel so solid while your skin is so soft," the redhead, Sophie, commented as she rubbed scented oil on Arturia's arms.

Saber blushed at bit at the comment. She had worked hard to condition her body to a similar level as her original body. It was quite a boon that her body here adjusted quickly, and now she had Caliburn she could really push herself.

"Quiet," Mareynn snapped at the redhead as she continued to lather Arturia's hair gently. "Forgive them, they are new."

"It is alright. I too feel that my body is not quite as womanly as it should be," Saber admitted to the girls before seeing the maids frowning at her.

"Nonsense, you are quite beautiful and if we didn't know you were the Lioness of Three Corners, we'd have assumed you were a highborn noblewoman," Mareynn replied honestly. While the blonde's body was not curvaceous, her lithe body was still quite charming. What she did find amazing was the girl's arms, legs and torso were completely hairless, as if she was carved and sculpted to look perfect without needing any additional maintenance. If she grew taller and filled out with more womanly curves, then it would be completely unfair to the women of Stormwind.

"Is it true that you were escorted by Sir Lancelot?" the other redhead, Tarah, inquired with a dreamy sigh as she lathered Arturia legs with some kind of soapy lotion, enviously noting that Lady Arturia's silky smooth skin did not seem to need the lotion.

"Yes," Saber replied, thinking nothing of it, a knight escorting their liege was not a big deal. Unfortunately, it might have been the wrong answer as a moment later, the two redheads looked at each other and squealed in girlish excitement.

"How did you earn Sir Lancelot's favor? Of course you are pretty, but Sir Lancelot is famous for turning down such requests!" Tarah gushed with stars in her eyes. Already in her head was an image of Sir Lancelot escorting her to high class functions.

Saber left eyebrow twitched. Her, earn Lancelot favor? Preposterous. She had to groan as she saw the look of admiration on Mareynn's face. Even when Lancelot wasn't around, he still caused her headaches.

Thankfully, the girls spoke of other things once they saw the displeased look on the smaller blonde's face. They made small talk on various topics until she was finally done, dressed in a white blouse and blue dress. A blue ribbon was tied around her neck in a bow, adding to the look so that not even carrying Caliburn looked out of place; at a glance she appeared as advertised, a pretty country girl. A moment later, Arturia was lead into a large room where the De Luc siblings were conversing quietly. At the head of the table was a blonde haired man in his late thirties with a full beard. He was big and burly like most males she had seen in this new world but his face was kind. He smiled widely the moment he saw her being ushered into the room.

"Ah Commander Arturia! I, Count Luke Barrington, welcome you to my humble home!" the Count of Sunnyglade stood up and greeted his guest with a beaming smile. "Please have seat, I still cannot imagine what kind of dastardly plan my wife pulled off to get your here!"

Saber noted that her seat was directly across from the count, in her old world such a seating position would be reserved for the guest of honor. Of course, she had the Round Table, but the other nobles did not. Looking at the breakfast spread, she was quite pleased by the selection. "Thank you for your hospitality and putting me up for the night," she replied politely. At the count's gesture, she took her seat with grace befitting a king, making the Count's grin widen.

"Well I knew that she could be regal, but to see her do it so effortlessly!" Count Barrington laughed loudly as he sat down. The person in question looked at him perplexed. "If I recall correctly, you became quite the topic among the nobles shortly after you left."

Adjusting the chair herself to be closer to the table, to the shock of the servant next to her whose responsibilities were such things, Saber leaned Caliburn against the side of her chair, she noticed that all eyes were on her. "I am sure. After all, I am a simple girl from the countryside. No doubt people that live behind such great stone walls would take issue with me," Saber said as she saw a servant immediately pour some liquid in her cup for her. Nodding at the servant, she took the cup her lips and found herself tasting sweet melon-like flavor.

"Melonberry juice from my own farms, I hope it is to your liking," the count elaborated as he also drank from his cup.

There was a rule that Saber kept, regardless of what life or whichever Holy Grail War she was in. Hunger was the enemy, an enemy that could only be defeated by food. Food that was in front of her. To Lady Barrington and the serving maids' envy, the small blond ate as much as the biggest men, yet with the grace of the Queen herself. After a while, breakfast was done.

"So my wife tells me that the famous Lancelot has finally decided to escort a maiden. And of his own free will no less!" the Count exclaimed looking at Lancelot with kind eyes.

Lancelot, however, glared at the count which in turn made his brother-in-law sweat a bit. After all this time, Luke Barrington still had not earned Lancelot approval. It began when he went to court Gwendolyn De Luc. He was handsome, rich, and a noble that had a seat in the Stormwind Court, it should have been a simple matter for him to court the minor noble from Westfall. It was not, mainly because of Lancelot who had publicly declared that any man that would be worthy of his sister's hand must defeat him in combat. Luke had accepted the challenge and the boy, who had been ten years old at the time, had gleefully humiliated him. Later, he found out the boy had also humiliated other suitors for his sister's hand. Yet his pride would not let him lose to such a brat! So he challenged Lancelot again, and again, and again.

Due to his persistence, Gwen grew to admire his tenacity and before they knew it he was already wooing her in secret, away from her brother's prying eyes. Thankfully, at thirteen the boy had joined the army leaving him to court the De Luc maiden. Yet, as the years passed and the wedding plans were made, Luke felt that he still needed to prove his worth to the boy. He need not bother as when Lancelot heard of his sister's impending nuptial, he had marched back straight to the De Luc household. Though he would never admit it, when Luke had gotten wind of Lancelot's return he had been nervous. Lancelot was the heir of the Del Luc estate and he would be someone Luke would have to deal with when he inherited his father's position in the House of Nobles.

Luke Barrington had trained like a madman during the two months it took for Lancelot to arrive. The future Count threw his body into training to the exclusion of all else, he needed to win against the boy. It was the day before his wedding when Lancelot arrived. Alone. The boy, upon setting his sights on the older man, had started to draw his sword. However, something unexpected happened as Gwendolyn De Luc, the bride to be, marched right up to Lancelot and took him by the ear. What was said to Lancelot, Luke would never know, but when the young man returned, he grudgingly shook the future Count's hand and grumbled some form of well wishes.

Now, according to his wife, Lancelot was besotted with the Lioness of Stormwind. Maybe he could help the famed knight with his courtship of her.

Lancelot glared at Barrington more out of habit now then any real malice. Mostly. He had not wanted a random count to marry his sister, there was only one man in the entire kingdom that was worthy of his sister's hand. Arthur Pendragon. If Arthur had been born into this world as a man, then he would need a bride, and his sister would be the perfect woman for him. He had to protect her until his king claimed his bride. Now that he had met up with his king again, the whole endeavor was a moot point.

Coughing into his hand, the count turned back to the Lioness and smiled. "So I hope everything was to your liking?" Barrington asked the blonde, hoping to get Lancelot's attention off him.

"The food was very well made. I quite enjoyed it," Saber answered. It was true, the food here was quite delicious. There was that crack about Lancelot escorting someone again. They acted like it was some big deal. "As for Sir Lancelot, he serves me now, that's wh-"

Apparently that proclamation made the elder sister of the De Luc's perform a very unladylike spit-take. "WHA-WHAT?!" Gwen shouted in half hysterics. Her brother has been tamed already? She didn't need to step them up at all! She had a wedding to plan now and she had to tell her parents!

However, Gwen De Luc-Barrington was not the only one that was surprised as the two younger De Luc brothers stood up as one and looked at their older brother in outrage. "WHAT?!" they roared looking accusingly at their brother.

Lancelot was brave, fearless and some would even say peerless but when it came to family he was weak against them. So immediately he tried to defend against his brothers' united outrage. "Wait, it's not what you think!"

"Another one brother? Damn it!" Victor bemoaned the unfairness of it all.

Saber pinched the bridge of her nose before balling her hand into a fist and slamming it down onto the table in front of her. The impact and violent sound stopped the chattered and directed their attention back to her. "If you would let me finish, Sir Lancelot serves me now as my knight, at least until Stormwind's enemies all lay dead at our feet," she explained, sweeping her gaze across every person at the table. She saw Lancelot's surprised look but shook her head at his questioning gaze. She needed his service, but if she was not King then once they were done, she would release him from her service so he could find happiness.

"Oh," Gwen mouthed softly before letting out a sigh of relief. She would have more time to plan the wedding. She saw that look in her little brother's eye and knew what it meant. Lancelot would follow the girl wherever she went. Just like a puppy really... well, a well-trained, deadly puppy.

Taking charge of the situation, Count Luke Barrington turned to the blonde girl and changed the subject. "Would you like to tour the garden? Gwen planted most of the flowers there herself and the ladies of Stormwind love it," he suggested, seeing that everyone had finished eating.

Saber nodded but had a request. "Actually do you have a training area where I can practice with my sword? I would hate to become rusty," she said honestly, much to everyone's surprise. It was then she saw Lancelot stand up and grin at her.

"Why stop there? Why don't you spar with me and my brothers here?" Lancelot offered before hooking his arms around both of his brothers' necks who were looking at him as if he was insane.

Saber's eyes lighted up then in genuine pleasure. It had been too long since she sparred with Lancelot, and it would be a good test of her skill. She went to her room to adorn her battle armor and left the De Luc's back at the dining hall.

"Make sure to go easy on her brother!" Victor told his other brother, Theodore. The thought of his brother marring the Lioness's skin was a criminal act if there ever was one! Lancelot was the best swordsman in the land, he would know to hold his blade back.

"Brother," Lancelot interjected as he looked at his youngest brother. "If I were you, I'd asked her to go easy on YOU."

That statement drew an eyebrow from Gwen Barrington. Her brothers were some of the finest swordsman in the land, yet Lancelot was telling them to be careful? This should prove interesting.

++++ Barrington Estate, Training Area ++++

The Barrington Guards stood a respectful distance away as they watched the three De Luc brothers warm up. Today was going to be a treat, the famous Lancelot would display his skill, as would the two younger De Luc's. However it was the pretty blonde thing that was warming up a short distance away that stole the guard's hearts. They had seen women fighters before, but her armor just suited her so well.

Saber finished limbering up her body as she drew Caliburn and saw the guard's eyes lock onto the blade. Giving a few practice swings, she was pleased by how it felt in the hand. Looking at the De Luc brothers, she smiled. "So, who's first?"

Lancelot innocently (roughly) shoved his younger brother Victor out to face his King. He saw his little brother shoot him a dirty look and returned it with a sly wink. "Please Commander, don't hurt my brother too badly," he pleaded jovially.

"I'll try not to," Saber replied noncommittally. After all, anything could happen in battle. Swinging her sword to the side, she got into an odd battle stance.

"Right then," Victor De Luc said as he pulled out his two-hander of Dwarven make. He didn't feel right fighting such a pretty, small thing. He knew from experience how soldiers liked to exaggerate and was all but certain the blonde was just a battlefield mascot. "On your guard then!" he shouted and lunged in with a sweeping strike.

"HUAAHH!" Saber shouted as she swung a powerful sweeping strike to match that of Victor's and tore the greatsword from his grip the moment their blades met. Quickly turning her blade, she smashed the flat of Caliburn onto Victor's breastplate, knocking him off his feet. Reversing her blade she stepped on Victor chest and pressed him down on his back while pointing the tip of Caliburn at his throat. "Do you yield?"

Victor eyes widened as he looked at the pointed tip of the golden sword. Nodding, he yielded to the powerful girl. Two moves, she defeated him in two moves, how did such a tiny girl have so much strength?

Theodore was worried. While he did like Lady Arturia, as she was very pretty, he was not quite as smitten with the girl. The ease that the girl displayed in defeating the De Luc Knight was not funny, and with his keen eye, he had seen how the girl had simply overpowered his younger brother. Lioness or not, the De Luc reputation was on the line. Stepping forward, he drew a tall broadsword and fell into a battle stance.

Saber smiled at the younger brother and grinned. A moment later she charged in and attacked the man with a powerful overhead strike. The De Luc brother blocked her strike with his sword but she saw his face strain as he defended against her onslaught. Quickly, she lashed her leg out and caught him with a powerful kick to his chest plate. To his credit he spun with the blow, lessening the impact, and swung wildly in a clumsy counter-attack.

'By the Light!' Theodore thought as he recovered. The girl's attack had rattled his arms, which were used to extremely harsh training! Looking at her, he noticed she wasn't even winded and instead was ready to pounce on him. No sooner than the thought had entered his mind, she did. He quickly parried her first attack with all his strength, the impact from both their swords rattling his arms once more, then brought his sword down to meet a lower strike. However on the third strike, he was too slow and was struck hard on his shoulder guard spinning him around off balance. When he recovered, he found her blade across his throat. Gulping he conceded, "I yield!"

Saber blinked in surprise as the guards started to cheer for her while the servants politely clapped.

Lancelot looked at his two brothers and smirked. That would teach them to underestimate his King. Looking at his now opponent, he bowed low before drawing Arondight.

Saber nodded as she saw Excalibur's twin blade. "Are you ready, Sir Lancelot?" she asked as the crowd grew quiet.

"I am," Lancelot said with a small smirk before schooling his face. There was an unspoken agreement between him and his king back during their time in Camelot. She would not use her full ability to speed up during their duel to be fair. Looking at his King he charged her with a shout. He heard his King's proud roar in reply to his own challenge and the two locked blades.

What happened next riveted the assembled crowd as the swords of the two combatants rang out loudly at the exchange. Sir Lancelot's face was set hard, not the easy smile he usually had when he dueled, and the fact that he was taking the girl seriously shocked them all. He even went so far as to try and strike her face with the back of his gauntlet, only to be stopped when the short blond barreled into the Knight, smashing him against a stone pillar, leaving a very visible dent in it.

Lancelot desperately tried to parry his King's powerful blows, but was slowly being pushed back. His King had always been deceptively strong. As a man, he knew he was naturally stronger, yet, even with her height and stature, she had always fought him to a stand-still due to skill alone. Her blows landed heavily on Arondight while her speed kept him off balance. His strike was parried by his King, before she used her great speed once more to her advantage.

The difference between them Saber knew would be the determining factor. Lancelot had all the skill and speed in the world, but so did she. What she didn't have was his ability to soak up more damage. That was one of the limitations she faced as a young female. What set her apart from Lancelot would be her tenacity and her ability to bleed the force of his attacks due to her shorter stature. 'It would have to be enough', she thought, as she attacked again, forcing Lancelot on the defensive once more.

Lancelot skillfully blocked all of his King's attacks and retaliated with a skillful set of moves to no avail. It was harder for him to strike at her as any real attack would have to be swung downwards or lower. Why he just missed her by a hair's breadth and before she parried the attack away. He also noted that his King was fighting a bit differently from how he remembered, even as one of her plated gauntlets caught him in his face. She was now using her arms and legs as extensions of herself instead of one powerful blade like she used to, making her more versatile. That made her even more dangerous.

"HUAAAH!" Saber roared once more as she swung a powerful strike at Lancelot's side, forcing him to catch it or be cut in half.

"YAAAAAH!" Lancelot shouted as he too slashed his sword to match his King. A block here would not be wise, so he attacked, hoping to recover first.

The sound of the two holy swords rang out beautifully, captivating everyone in the courtyard.

Despite the arm-rattling shock that ensued, Lancelot and Saber pushed at one another as they glared. Each was determined to win this contest of strength and will. Before their battle could go any further, they heard the sound of clapping from a young, excited boy.

"Wow! That's amazing!" a young voice cut through the disbelieving silence.

The two combatants looked at the source of the voice, but only Lancelot recognized the child and more importantly, his parent and his guardian. "Prince Llane! Lord Lothar!" he shouted. His King, having recognized his tone, eased off her attack stance as she too turned and faced the newcomers.

Lancelot's proclamation shook their audience out of their awe. The sight of the Crown Prince there with his son and the legendary Lothar at his side was shocking. Immediately all went to their knees except for Arturia.

"No no, up up!" Prince Llane laughed but noted that the Lioness did not kneel. Upon reflection, he found that he was fine with her breach of etiquette. He clapped his hands together, even as a bright smile adorned his face. "I must say, Lady Arturia, they did not do your skill justice in the story."

Saber bowed her head slightly at the compliment. "Thank you, your highness. Is your father feeling better?" she inquired.

"The festivities of yesterday taxed him, I'll admit, but he could not stop talking about you nor Caliburn all morning. You made quite an impression on him," Prince Llane chuckled ruefully. His father was not one to be easily impressed, yet he had seen something in Lady Arturia to crown her the Lioness of Stormwind. Looking down at his son, he nudged the black haired little boy.

"Good day, L-lady Arturia, I hope this day finds you well?" the small boy inquired shyly as he stole glances at the teenage girl.

"Greetings, young prince...?" Saber trailed off softly.

"Varian, after my grandmother, Queen Varia," Varian bashfully explained. He could not take his eyes off the Lioness of Stormwind, much to his embarrassment.

"Varian, a good strong name," Saber declared with a nod. She noticed the boy blushed red and shyly looked down at his feet shuffling a bit.

"Well, you have made quite an impression on him last night as well," Prince Llane said chuckling at his son's shy demeanor. The boy was still only nine but he was smart for his age and already his reflexes showed that he was going to be quite a fighter when he grew up.

"I believe Lady Arturia left an impression on everyone last night, myself included," a balding, tall, broad shouldered man, with a full beard made his presence known. He gave a soldier's salute to the blonde girl and introduced himself. "I am afraid we weren't properly introduced last night, I am Anduin Lothar."

"An honor to meet you, Highlord Lothar," Saber replied, acknowledging him with a bow before locking eyes with the man. "I heard tales of your exploits from my father. He would have been overjoyed to have met you."

Lothar saw pain flash across the girl's face at the mention of her father. "I am sure he would be prouder to hear of what his daughter accomplished."

"Your words are too kind," Saber said softly before she fell intoa more relaxed stance. One that had her leaning on Caliburn, supporting her weight on its hilt.

"Prince Llane, young Prince Varian and Highlord Lothar, what brings you to my humble home?" Count Barrington asked, judging it to be the right moment to join the conversation.

"We were searching for your guest," Prince Llane gestured to Arturia. He then turned to look at their host and grinned. "You, my dear count, caused quite an uproar this morning."

Saber saw that the Barrington looked as if he was caught red handed, while his wife suddenly found the pillar next to her interesting. Apparently Prince Llane saw that she looked confused and turned to explain it to her.

"Like I said, Lady Arturia," Prince Llane began looking at the pretty blonde with humor dancing in his eyes. "You caused quite the uproar yesterday at the banquets, so much so that before daybreak, the Highlords, the Barons, Dukes, Marquis, and even my father, sent messengers to invite you to dine with them for breakfast."

Saber's eyes widened at the list of people that apparently wanted her attention. However, she was still confused, why would the Count and Countess of Barrington look so guilty. Lucky for her Prince Llane was not finished.

"So imagine their surprise when their messengers waited for day break to bombard you with their request only to find that you did not even return to the Red Dragon Inn in Goldshire!" Prince Llane laughed at the panic that had stirred once the last known residence of the Lioness had been found empty. "Thankfully, young Squire Gawain arrived and gathered your things, thereby letting us know where you were residing. I decided to come and fetch you myself since you would soon be bombarded by the other Lords and Ladies of Stormwind Court. I figured that if I brought Lord Lothar with me, you wouldn't say no to joining us for lunch."

Lancelot turned to look at his King who, while showing no outward signs of being surprised, had a small bead of sweat rolling down her face that could be seen if one squinted hard enough. Really hard.

Saber inwardly wondered why people would even want her attention. If she was King then, yes, people would come to her for power. Yet she was a country girl, whose only notable deed was fighting against the Orcish invasion, and even then, she wasn't the only one. Still if King Adamant wanted to meet with her again, then she would have been glad to meet him again. "Then, I would be honored," Saber replied with a curt nod. "I'll go get my horse."

"No need," Lothar quickly cut in with a grin. He saw his friend give him a thumbs up for a job well done. "We have a carriage out front waiting for you. You would be sitting with the Prince and young Varian here."

Saber nodded, turning to the Barrington's and De Luc's in the yard. She gave them a slight bow. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Oh, think nothing of it!" Luke replied. "Just know that my home is always open to you."

Saber turned back to the pair of royalty and said, "Please, after you." She followed the towering old man out the Barrington Estate and into the carriage. It was a lavish looking coach with a lion motif emblazoned on its side. Accompanying the carriage were forty royal knights from the keep.

"After you, Lady Arturia," Prince Llane deferred, as he opened the door for the girl who gracefully stepped inside the carriage. Prince Llane had to admit the girl, Arturia, was a mystery. She had strode into the Banquet hall commanding everyone's attention by sheer presence alone. Equipped with Caliburn, it was all but assured she would be the talk of the town, and now even his father appeared quite taken with the girl. There were even speculations by some nobles that she might be a descendant from a forgotten branch of the Wrynn family or Arathi royalty with the way she carried herself. Though the girl did not know it, an invitation had already been sent to her mother in Lakeshire so they could question her on the girl's lineage.

His father even went so far to say that if the girl turned out to be related to them in some way, he was going to induct her into their family as a Princess! Prince Llane had thought that it was madness and so had his friend Lothar. Yet looking at the girl's profile as she gazed outside at the city from their carriage, Prince Llane could admit, the girl had a royal air about her. She certainly was better than he was at her age.

"Did you kill a lot of Orcs Lady Arturia?" Varian asked hesitantly. But the Prince was curious as well. Young boys always loved stories of battle.

"Yes, I did," Saber answered the black hair boy and saw the pleased look on his face. "But don't forget they also killed a lot of our people as well," she reminded the boy sternly. War affected both sides despite its necessity.

Varian's eyes widened as he looked down and away, embarrassed by her soft chastisement. "I'm, sorry."

"Do not be, you will one day learn what war really entails," Saber explained and then looked at Varian gravely. "If you do, then you would be a great King someday. Just like your grandfather."

Varian blushed but nodded at the older girl words. "I will try," he promised earnestly and was rewarded with a smile from the blonde.

The rest of the trip was ridden in silence as Prince Llane and Lord Lothar waved to the people of the city. Saber had to smile at the adoration and love the people had for their Crown Prince and their Commander General. It truly was a strong and prosperous kingdom.

+++++ Elwynn Forest Fortification +++++

The Captain of the Elwynn Fortification, Jonas, was busy talking with the stonemason merchants' guild when the war horn sounded. "We're under attack!" he shouted as the Stormwind forces manned the walls with crossbows in hand. His fifteen thousand troops were already snapping into place as he found the mage adjutant attached to his group.

"You there, send a message in that little scrying bowl of water of yours. Orc forces spotted, tell them to be ready!" A moment later the mage went off to transcribe the message to Stormwind itself via magic.

Walking up the battlement Jonas saw that his soldiers manned the wall and the tower bowmen had their crossbows notched and at the ready. Finally arriving at the top, he looked down and saw a small group of Orcs, of which no less than twenty were riding on huge wolves, approaching their gates with a white flag raised high into the air.

"HALT!" Jonas shouted loud and clear and was surprised when the Orcs stopped. However a moment later a single wolf rider approached the gate. The orc rider stopped short of the gate and let a smaller figure, cloaked from head to toe, off its mount. Following that, the cloaked figure raised it hands up in surrender and walked directly up to the gate.

The cloaked figure took back its hood to reveal a female Orc dressed skimpily in fur and leather. She still had her hand raised but held a rolled up parchment in one hand.

"My name is Garona Halforcen! I come in the name of peace and with a message for your King!" the Orc female yelled perfect in common.

Jonas was surprised at hearing the words from an Orc and looked at the girl suspiciously. Still she did raise a white flag and it would be dishonorable to kill the messenger. "Open the gate!" he ordered the gatekeepers. To his surprise he saw that the other Orcs wolf rider turned around and rode back toward the Black Morass.

"What trickery is this?!" Jonas demanded as he looked at the female Orc that could be called pretty.

"No trickery. I am at your complete mercy, and my people understand if you were to kill me on the spot for what we did. I am here with a plea for peace between our two people, and I alone could be killed if you reject our entreaty," Garona explained calmly as she kept her eyes forward even as more Stormwind soldiers surrounded her.

Jonas had a decision to make. Believe the Orc. Or kill her. Sighing he turned to the closest footman. "Tell that mage to send another message to Stormwind. Tell them there is a... peace envoy here from the Orcs."

TBC...

AN: This is pretty much a chill chapter to give a glimpse of what life would kind of be like for Saber now. ^_^ Now on to a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I been getting a lot of Shirou request. Lots of it, like almost every chapter there the askance of Shirou. I figure I should reiterate this now. Shirou had two or more WOW fics to his name. Saber aka Arturia has none. Now, I don't hate Shirou, look at my Fate A Live fic, the harem will be fed! Look at my Fake Butler Fic. Harem MUST BE FED. However he is a Protagonist black hole as in IF I write him in at this point in time now, he would just suck all of the work I done with Arturia down the drain.

I am not writing bout Shirou, Shirou in this story is regulated to the background and unimportant like Illya Prism. I am writing about Arturia. Now some might feel disappointed but guess what? I had a disclaimer about how I was writing it from the very get go. Go back to chapter 1, I said at the very begining that this was a spin off. Shirou to me right now is so unimportant in the over all scheme of things that he's not even anywhere in my story yet. So again, maybe there might be a Shirou but only when it FITS the narrative. If I wanted Shirou, I would have put Shirou in from the get go.

Although I do wonder what ever happened to Jewel and Swords... ANYWAY.

Thank you once again for those that left a review, and I am glad a lot of people was unsure as to what to make it of but felt themselves being drawn in anyway. To me that's what I am aiming for and glad you guys enjoyed it. Thank you!

Also, I don't write fillers. I hate fillers. Everything I write have pertinent information to the overall story. I try not to have any throwaway scene in my story. First I don't have that much time to write so I need to cram as much info into a small amount of text. So when I do, I write what I need to write. ^_^

Once again thanks you for reading, as always C+C welcomed, Reviews Appreciated.

Pertinent INFO:

Varian Wrynn- Canon character. He should be around 9ish or so now.

The Barrington and De Luc's- All OC characters.

Injected a bit of humor with the whole castle anthrax thing due to some idea bouncing with a friend of mine. Kudo's for those that get it. ^_^


	9. Chapter 8

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

Warning! This is more of a spin off instead of a direct cross with modern day Fate/ Stay Night.

Also, this fic take place during the first Orc -Human war.

Special thanks to the following in Alpha Order, Cheeser who lay down the law, Wayfarer who eviscerated any and all mistake and Xbox432 who finished the the pathetic straggler that was my horrendous grammars. Mad respect!

Lioness of Stormwind

Chapter 8

***** The Black Morass, Two Months after the Battle of Three Corners ****

Saber rode silently next to Sir Anduin Lothar as an army of thirty-five thousand Stormwind troops marched into what was previously considered enemy territory. As a light cool breeze caressed her face, she looked up to the sky and noted that the sun had already started its descent in the over the horizon.

"We have almost arrived at your hometown, Commander Arturia," Lothar informed his companion, making out the ruined town of Marshal in front of him.

Saber nodded. Lancelot and Squire Gawain was on her right, while Prince Llane was riding protectively behind Lothar surround by the Brotherhood Knights and Royal Guards. "Our scouts have seen no movement, do you mind if I go on ahead first, Sir Lothar?" she asked politely. At the Commander General's nod, she spurred her horse and raced off in the direction of her old hometown.

As for the reason why she was currently traveling with thirty-five thousand companions in the midst of such high profile personage. Peace.

An Orc, by the name of Garona Halforcen, had arrived over a month ago to represent her people. She claimed that certain elements of her people had foolishly attacked the kingdom of Stormwind in their quest for more land, but they were now dead with the survivors never wanting war in the first place. And so they came to Stormwind to beg for mercy.

The female Orc had come to Stormwind alone to negotiate a peace treaty on behalf of her people with the Humans. King Adamant had been skeptical, but Prince Llane pointed out that unlike the Gnolls, Kobolds, and Ettins, the female Orc was clearly intelligent. He argued that wiping out an entire race over the actions of a few was not noble. While he was cautious, Prince Llane was moved by Garona's plead on behalf of her people and her desire for peace between their people.

A great debate amongst King Adamant and the Nobles of Stormwind had followed. Some were in favor of giving the Orcs another chance, some against. Despite Prince Llane's hopeful overtures, the Nobles of the Court were still in a deadlock on whether or not to trust such an overture. Just as King Adamant was about to deliver his verdict, the great Archmage Medivh appeared and backed Prince Llane's position. Though the Archmage's words carried weight, King Adamant was still not completely convinced. Attempting to sway the King, Garona had asked them to visit an Orc town by the name of Stonard and meet the Orc Chieftain to show that they were civilized, not just bloodthirsty savages.

Prince Llane volunteered for the trip, as he had proposed the idea of reconciliation. He also promised to react accordingly if the claims proved false. Lord Lothar, seeing his best friend going, volunteered to go along as well to ease King Adamant's worry. Naturally where those two go, the third would follow as Medivh, long-time friend to Prince Llane, also volunteered to go. And so, the greatest soldier in the Kingdom, their beloved Prince, and their most powerful Archmage set out to verify or disprove the claims. To the surprise of many, Prince Llane took quickly to Garona and it appeared to be mutual. Even Lord Lothar was impressed with Garona and the two became friends. Medivh himself spoke to Garona like a friend and appeared to be quite open to her. Even his newly arrived protégé, Khadgar of Dalaran, was taken with her.

They couldn't, however, gather the necessary forces at such short notice, with the majority of their men fortifying the choke point at Three Corners. As a result, it took time to mobilize an appropriately sized army. Perhaps most surprising was how much time Arturia spent with King Adamant and Queen Varia while Prince Llane was playing host to the orc.

During that time, the girl had her lineage traced, thanks to the arrival of her mother, who had been in awe of the royal palace and all of the Stormwind heroes present. King Adamant himself had given her a room there along with her mother so that the nobles would stop complaining about her spending time with the Barrington's. When they finished tracing Arturia's line as far back as they could, many were disappointed, including King Adamant, that she was not of royal or noble blood. In a private conversation, King Adamant had lamented the fact that he had no more sons to wed her, much to her surprise and embarrassment. Of course that was not all that happened. Saber found that she was suddenly hated by many ladies of the court, including the future Queen, when it was revealed that Lancelot had pledged himself to her. Her mother on the other hand had been ecstatic.

That in itself was a headache Saber did not need. Somehow, it became public knowledge that she was the King's favorite and that anything she wanted, the King provided. Saber did not care. King Adamant was a wise ruler who had ruled longer than she ever did and kept his kingdom stable. The two spent their time talking about philosophy and were of a similar mindset in many topics. Saber concluded that King Adamant would had been a King Britannia deserved.

Saber was surprised when King Adamant insisted that she'd go with the expeditionary force to scout the Orc intent along with his son and the others. It was almost unheard of for someone of her position to be trusted by the King for such a prestigious and important role. To silence any protest, King Adamant made Saber's battlefield commission permanent. She was now officially Commander Arturia. What she was in command of remained to be seen, but with her new rank and pay, she was now important.

This brought her back to her current situation, riding into her abandoned town followed by Lancelot and Gawain.

"Are you alright, Commander?" Lancelot asked in concern for his king as his gaze swept across the ruins of the town. The Orcs had clearly looted anything of value and stripped the houses down for the wood.

Saber looked around her former village and tightened her fist. Everything was gone. Pots, clothes, wood, everything. She had distantly hoped that this town had been left alone during the Orcish force's rush to invade Stormwind.

"Commander Arturia," Lothar spoke in a soft, respectful tone as he rode in accompanied by Prince Llane, Medivh, Khadgar, and Garona (who had a guilty look on her face). "I am sorry for your loss."

"It's people that make the town, not the town that makes the people," Saber replied firmly as she looked around. The villagers will return and when they did, they would make this town even better than before. "The people are safe, and our duty here is to ensure that they remain safe."

"Well-spoken for one so young," Archmage Medivh praised. "If the Orcs are peaceful, then the people of this town would the first to have a working relationship with our former enemies."

Saber saw as Llane, Khadgar and Lothar nodded in hopeful optimism, but she couldn't help but feel that something was off about the situation. "We shall see," she conceded before turning back around to join the main army.

"Despite being so young and pretty, she's a hard one! Isn't she, my disciple?" Medivh grinned slyly to his protégé/spy from Dalaran. He had caught the young man sneaking glances at the girl from time to time. The girl's natural beauty was obvious to all. And even he was not unaffected, yet it repulsed him. The light that she shone with was so pure, so untainted, and so righteous, that it left a foul taste in his mouth.

'That's because she is something you could never be again, mad Titan. She reminds you of yourself when you were uncorrupted by your twisted ideals,' a voice spoke into Medivh's head.

'SILENCE!' Medivh mentally shouted back at the specter that continued to haunt him.

"Are you okay friend?" Lothar asked the Archmage in concern, seeing his abrupt stop.

"Oh yes. Fine. Just feeling the ley lines, maybe we should build a mage tower around here for young Khadgar to be closer to Lady Arturia, hmm?" Medivh playfully teased his protégé, who sputtered out denials as his face turned even redder.

* * *

It took them another three days from Marshal, to reach the Orc village called Stonard. Saber did not know what she expected, but seeing the greenskins moving about like regular village folks was not it. The rest of their forces were setting up traps and clearing a straight path from Stonard to Marshal so they could fall back quickly if needed.

"Company halt!" a Brotherhood Knight shouted. Immediately, five thousand soldiers stopped their march.

The Orcs in the village stopped what they were doing and many went inside their little hut-like dwelling as if to hide from the Humans.

Garona jumped off her horse and spoke to another Orc in a strange and foreign language. One of the Orcs replied before he turned and stepped aside to let Garona enter. To everyone's surprise the Orc guards were looking at the little blond girl in their company warily.

After five minutes had passed, Garona returned, this time with a large male Orc in tow and a giant dire wolf following obediently behind him. "Lok Tar Humans," he spoke in perfect common. "I am Durotan, chieftain of the Frostwolves and I welcome you to Stonard."

"I am the Commander General of the Stormwind Army, Anduin Lothar, and this is Prince Llane Wrynn, who would be on par with a clan Chieftain in your culture," Lothar returned the greeting as he stood face to face with the Orc, not the least bit intimidated.

"Yours are a strong people, Anduin Lothar," Durotan replied respectfully as he saw not a hint of fear in any of the Human eyes present. The Draenei had shown fear and rightly so, but these Humans were different. "Come, let's partake of these talks of... peace."

"Peace talks," Prince Llane corrected and saw that the Orc nodded at his correction, not taking offense. Getting off his horse, Lothar, Medivh, and Lady Arturia walked into the town accompanied by one hundred royal guardsmen.

After a short while, they reached a stone hut larger than the others. Durotan walked in first and saw the Humans enter in after him.

"Is it just you and Garona who speak for your people?" Prince Llane inquired.

Durotan paused for a moment and nodded. "Many of our people that wanted war with your people are dead, their corpses rotting on your fields. I now speak for all when I say we want peace between our people and yours," he answered, his tone surprising the Humans he could see. "We are not all warmongers."

"That is great news is it not, Prince Llane?" Medivh pointed out happily and saw that Lothar nodded along with the Prince. "Though they made a costly mistake and were the aggressor, they have paid a heavier price for it than we did, don't you think?"

"Yes, many of our best warriors, husbands and fathers lie dead, and we cannot fault you for it. They got what they deserved," Durotan explained, the regret in his tone spoke of his feelings on the matter. "I asked you to come here to see us for what we are, a proud race that would like peace before any more sons and fathers, on either side, die."

Garona watched as Prince Llane and Lothar considered Durotan's words. Medivh had made his feeling clear regarding the Orcish race thinking they could be great allies to Stormwind Kingdom. The short golden haired girl, however, appeared to be scrutinizing Durotan and her surroundings with a keen gaze.

Durotan looked to each of the Humans and schooled his expression as to not give away his thoughts on the matter. He wished it did not have to be this way, but his opinion did not matter to the Warchief. It was emphasized to him by Doomhammer that only his honesty and desire for peace could save the Horde, even as the Horde was rearming themselves deeper into the Swamplands. He needed to buy time for their people or else they all would die. His wife, his infant son, all of them.

And that could not happen.

"What is to say you would not attack our people again?" Prince Llane spoke up suddenly and gave Durotan a hard look. "Why shouldn't we end you now and be done with it?"

Durotan resigned himself with a sigh. "Then do as you wish, I am not one for words, if you intend to wipe us out, you will find that we will die fighting. Your army is bigger than ours, your forces even more so, you are more powerful and could crush us under your foot easily. We wouldn't be able to resist you, but we will not die quietly either," he replied honestly.

"What guarantee do we have that you would not try to attack us when our guard is lowered?" Prince Llane continued, trying to find how far he could push the Orc Chieftain.

"No more than I can guarantee the sun will rise tomorrow or that your forces would not simply come here to kill us down to the last male, female, and youngling," Durotan countered, standing up tall. "As I have said, we are a proud race and now we are asking you to spare us in your mercy. You already destroyed our forces, and it will take us generations to recover from the loss, in that time maybe our people can work together in hopes of building a better future."

Prince Llane looked at Lothar and nodded, even as Medivh looked pleased for some odd reason. "I will make camp here tonight outside your town to consider your words," he stated as he watched the Orc Chieftain for any sign of deception. Yet Durotan was who he said he was. He was proud, he did not beg, but he did not fill himself with overwhelming pride either.

"Then, if you do not mind, would you share an Orcish drink with me, in hope that our two people could live in peace," Durotan offered as his mate came in with a pitcher of a milky white liquid. He started to pour it into crudely made cups for each person. "This is Elekk milk wine. It is a popular drink among our people."

Prince Llane looked at the liquid uncertainly, Medivh, looked at it with mild curiosity, Lothar gave it a tentative sniff and found his nose overpower by the strong smell. Saber looked nonplussed by the drink.

"Well then let's see what this is shall we?" Medivh said gleefully before he took a hearty gulp from his cup. Immediately he took the cup away from his lips, but maintained his composure. The wine was much too strong for his refined taste.

Prince Llane smirked at his insane mage of a friend and followed suit. Immediately he found himself nearly gagging on the taste of milk and alcohol but somehow managed to maintain his composure. After drinking the amount etiquette would require of him, he put the cup down. "Not... bad." he declared politely.

Lothar examined at the cup in his hand and slowly, cautiously tasted it once. He found the taste overpowering. It was as if the mead was trying to force his taste buds to conform to its will. Like Llane he drank the acceptable amount courtly etiquette dictated.

Durotan had seen the fractional change of expression from the Human males and smirked. He recalled a time when the Draenei's reacted the same way, for all their culture, they could not handle such an exotic wine. He then turned his eye on the last person, which was the golden haired demoness the survivors had spoken of.

Saber looked at the mead in front of her, then at the one called Durotan, before returning her attention back to her cup. Picking up the cup she held it to her lips and slowly drank the mead letting herself savor the taste.

The Human males looked at their female companion as she slowly drank from the cup. Thinking that Arturia would stop after the polite amount, they were surprised when she kept drinking, tilting the cup further back until it her head was craned back, before releasing the cup. After removing the cup from her lips, the girl slammed it down onto the table and looked the Orc Chieftain in the eye.

Durotan kept his eyes on the girl's face to make sure it wasn't bravado but her expression never changed as she drank the mead. After she was done all she did was gave him a challenging look. He could not help but smile at her tenacity. Doomhammer was right about this girl.

Saber saw the three men look at her in amazement before they turned to the Orc Chieftain. "You will have our answer within the next couple of days," Prince Llane said before he walked out, followed by the rest of the group. Saber was the last to leave, giving one last hard look around the room.

A moment after the Humans and Garona left, Orgrim Doomhammer walked in from another entrance. "Do you think you convinced them?" he asked his long-time friend.

"I think the one called Llane is open to the idea of peace. Even though he is a warrior born, he is not warlike. The ancient one, Lothar, is suspicious, and rightly so, but if the one named Llane votes for peace, then he would follow suit. Their Warlock disturbed me on many levels, but he seems to be thrilled at the chance for peaceful talks," Durotan gave his impression of each individual from the party.

"And the 'Saber'?" Doomhammer glanced at his friend. He had found himself impressed by the little female's ferocity in battle, having even landed a couple of solid attacks on him. Oddly enough, her strength did not match her body size, which in itself was mysterious. He hated to admit, but it was her blade that failed the girl, not her skill. Still, he wanted his friend's impression of the Human female.

"I think if she was the one in charge, she would have razed us to the ground on the very spot," Durotan replied after a few moments of consideration. "Whether she saw through our ruse or simply does not like us. I suspect we would be fighting her right now if it was up to her."

"Well, it is a good thing she was not in charge then," Doomhammer nodded to his friend and poured himself a cup of mead. "You might have just saved our people."

"They clearly want to live in peace with us, perhaps if we were to honor our end of the bargain," Durotan lightly pleaded with his friend.

"No, that is not the Orcish way, we will take their lands from them and crush them under our heels like we did the Draenei," Doomhammer assured his friend, greedily drinking his mead. "Within ten months, we will have hundreds of thousands of orcs through the dark portal and then we shall blanket their land like a tide of darkness."

Durotan sighed sadly. It seemed that once again, he and his people would be responsible for the death of an entire race. Yet between his race or theirs, he would have to choose his every single time no matter how much they were in the wrong.

**** Marshal's Keep, Months Later ****

Saber was in her pavilion tent, looking at the updated construction list of materials to rebuild the town. In a show of trust that startled the majority of Stormwind Nobles, Commander Arturia was put in command of the reconstruction of their holdings in the Black Morass. Now that they knew for sure there was another major power to the southeast of their kingdom, it suddenly became important to fortify that territory. Of course, to lighten the political outrage, Governor General Mara Fordragon was officially named as the person in charge of the effort. Saber would be the boot on the ground, so to speak, and her word was law on this frontier.

"The third battalion has just returned from the patrol, and reported that they cleared another acre of forest," Adjutant Timothy Reed reported to his commander.

Saber nodded as she dismissed the adjutant and looked at what she considered a king's bane. Paperwork. "Ugh," she groaned as she looked at the stacks of paper that wanted her approval. She wished she could go back to killing Orcs, that was much simpler. It was then her tent opening was pushed aside by a friendly face.

"Arturia! You forgot about lunch again!" Tiffany announced as she walked in carrying two trays of sandwiches stacked at least a foot high. Both of them for her friend, of course.

"You are a godsend Tiffany," Saber declared happily as she took the plate filled with food and voraciously ate her fill.

Tiffany looked at her friend who was eating everything she brought with gusto. This was a side to the Lioness of Stormwind that few got to see, and she had to wonder what the people would think if they could see her like this. Once Arturia was finished, Tiffany handed her a cup of melon juice for the girl to finish.

"Thank you," Saber said as she wiped her mouth with the back of her gauntlet, much to her friend disapproval. She then looked to her friend. "But surely bringing in lunch for me was not all you are doing here."

"Well, Stormwind is sending a small group of mages here today, and you'll never guess who's just finished her studies at Karazhan!" Tiffany exclaimed excitedly.

Saber blinked for a moment, before remembering a small pretty girl that had shown an affinity for the arcane arts and was inducted into the mage tower when she was ten. "Alice is coming here?" She asked.

"That's right! She's just an apprentice, not a regular like me of course," Tiffany proudly puffed out her impressive chest at her newly attained rank. After the Battle of Three Corner she had gained enough experience to be made a full-fledged cleric.

"I look forward to seeing her again," Saber mused softly before looking at her friend. "But that is not all, you are dancing around the issue again. Spit it out."

Tiffany had the decency to blush before looking at her friend with her most pleading expression. "I need you to help me court Gawain," she confessed shyly.

Saber raised an eyebrow then at her friend. "Squire Gawain? Not Sir Lancelot?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tiffany threw her hands up in the air. "Sir Lancelot is yours! His devotion to you is clear for everyone see," she said exasperatedly. "But Squire Gawain has this cute, innocent boy thing going on that's just so adorable! It also doesn't hurt that he's very handsome."

"What is it with you holy women and naive men with pure hearts?" Saber mumbled to herself before looking back at her friend's hopeful expression. "Well, I can't order him to fall for you."

"Actually, with the next rotation coming up if you were to let Squire Gawain accompany my group of Clerics, I believe I might have a chance," Tiffany pleaded earnestly to her best friend.

Saber looked at the rotation schedule and the clerics assigned to her. Nodding she took out her stamp and endorsed the change. "Here are your new orders then. Good luck," she said as she handed her friend the papers.

"Thank you soo much, Arturia!" Tiffany squealed joyously as she threw her arms around the Lioness of Stormwind. "I am going to name my first child after you!"

"Tiffany!" Saber shouted scandalized by her friend. She had thought it was innocent courtship, not... THAT. Saber was no stranger to sex, of course. That night with her, Shirou, and Rin was... well it wasn't easily forgotten. "Please, I believe Lancelot still needs to continue his training, control yourself."

"Hmph," Tiffany pouted as she brushed a lock of brown hair out of her face. "I need to train him too. Like my mother says, a man's training is like the Light's works, never done."

Saber had no more words to say to her brazen friend. Tiffany had blossomed into womanhood in the short time they had been separated. Now the eyes of the men at the keep were upon her wherever she walked, even when she was still in her conservative cleric's robes!

"Oh another thing, have you decided on a surname yet?" Tiffany inquired in an offhanded manner to her pretty blond friend.

"I am still thinking on it," Saber admitted. She was granted a minor noble title and some land in Lakeshire by the Governor General Fordragon. No doubt to tie her to Redridge, since the Black Morass was unofficially contested land now that a peace treaty had been hammered out with the Orcs.

Prince Llane, Highlord Lothar, and Archmage Medivh had endorsed the peace treaty despite Saber's own misgivings, but when those three were united on an issue, even King Adamant had to agree. However, King Adamant had decided to fortify the Black Morass up until his old borders and had told the Orcs to remain on the other side. As such, the army of thirty five thousand men was now permanently stationed to the Black Morass to ensure the safety of the returning villagers. Then of course there was the new influx of people who had decided to move to the old lands to rebuild or make a new life for themselves. The project would be to clear the forested area and split the lumber all over Stormwind as the Black Morass had lumber in abundance. Of course, there was also the discovery of the mines containing mithril and gold. It became a priority to map the previously unknown lands. Still, the main project was to build a defensive keep that would have two entrances. One to face the Horde, with walls built wide and Watch Tower's along its line for three miles in either direction, while the rear entrance would be for transporting ore and receiving supplies from the works in the area. Finally fifty thousand men would be stationed here at all time, making the renewed Marshal's Keep a military post first, a town second.

The townsfolk were encouraged to build their new settlements a mile behind the lines until the situation changed. Of course someone like her, while holding a military rank, needed a noble rank of some sort as well to quell the politics back in Stormwind. And so, Saber was awarded a minor noble title. But a noble needed a surname, and she still didn't have one.

"Why not go with Sir Lancelot's suggestion. Pendragon fits you Arturia," Tiffany suggested, looking at her friend. "It's a good, strong name that the people would follow."

Saber frowned. She had reasons for not choosing Pendragon despite her being very proud to have carried it at one point in time. Firstly, Pendragon was a King's name, and she was no longer King, thus not deserving of the Pendragon name. Secondly, anyone who has worn the Pendragon name has died horribly. First was Uther, then her, and finally Mordred. Finally, there was the real reason why she did not want the Pendragon name. If she chose to bring the Pendragon name into this world, people would start calling her Lady Pendragon. The only Lady of the Pendragon household was Guinevere.

"I said no," Saber stated firmly and went back to work. A moment later she saw Tiffany was still standing in her spot twiddling he thumb guiltily. "Something else you want to tell me?"

"Well..." Tiffany quailed under her friend look. "I was called away before Sir Lancelot could explain to me that you were against it. I thought it was magnificent and so did High Cleric Orlais."

Saber stood up and slammed her hand on the able. "Tell me the High Cleric kept it to himself..." she half pleaded.

"Well... about that..." Tiffany said looking at tent wall, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. "The High Cleric might have told Lady Fordragon..."

"GOD DAMN IT!" Saber cursed in frustration at her knight's and friend's loose lips.

Tiffany sensed her friend's distress and tried to comfort her. "For what's its worth, I think Lady Pendragon rolls right off the tongue!"

****** Tanaris *****

The sun was setting on the desert land as four cloaked figures could be seen standing on its beach looking out to the sea. A moment later, a large ship sailed across their peripheral vision, setting them into motion.

"There, that one," the first cloaked figure spoke up with a female voice.

"Get it, Chromie," the second cloaked figured ordered, his tone much more masculine.

"Alrighty then," the third cloaked figure replied in a feminine voice. A bright flash of light appeared, before a massive Bronze Dragon revealed itself. "Off you go then," the giant drake rumbled to the other three figures.

The other three cloaked figures climbed onto the massive bronze dragon's back. With a beat of her mighty wings, the dragon took off and headed straight for the deck of the Goblin ship. Letting out a loud roar she landed on the goblin ship deck. A moment later the massive beast began to claw, bite, and swipe at the crew. The cloaked figures on her back jumped down onto the decks and pulled out double blades staffs before rushing into the lower deck. Shouts of surprise and outrage arose from the lower deck before clashing of steel could be heard.

Chromie turned around as she felt arrows and bullets assault her tough hide. Looking up she saw their little bird nest was filled with mini Goblins firing down at her. Climbing up on the mast itself, she snapped up a jaw full of Goblins, killing them instantly.

Down below, the Pirate Captain Gorkian watched as the door to his quarters was blown opened as the bodies of his dead men were hurled inside. A moment later, three tall, cloaked figures walked in.

"What do you want from me?! We did nothing to you!" Gorkian shouted in desperation, trying to understand why a Bronze Dragon would attack his ship.

One of the cloaked figures walked up to the goblin pirate and pulled back her shroud to reveal a High Elven face. "Your ship."

"My... My ship? That's all you wanted?" Gorkian asked in surprise. "Then why did you kill my men?!"

"Because they stood between us and the ship. We know your kind, Goblin, you would see this ship burn before it fell into enemy hands. We simply had to make sure we killed you all before you could do so," she answered pleasantly as her hands flashed out. A second later the Pirate Captain lay dead.

"Clean this up. We need to set sail for the disturbance," the unhooded High Elf said to the two cloaked male figures. Walking back up to the deck she saw that it was still in a serviceable state and that the deck crew was dead. A moment later she was joined by a behemoth Bronze Dragon.

"There are some swimming to shore, should we let them live?" the Bronze Dragon voice boomed.

"Leave them, we got what we wanted," the female elf-like creature responded. "We now head to the Eastern Kingdoms and track the source of the disturbance."

The massive dragon slowly morphed into a small Gnomish being and looked up questioningly at her superior. "So where should we go first?"

"Kul Tiras. And take on a Human disguise," the female elf shimmered lightly and slowly turned into a Human.

TBC...

AN: Note I did not give Saber a last name on purpose because she's a peasant. Now that she has rank she can choose. Unfortunately it was chosen for her. Lol right? It seems that people want Shirou in this story but that would defeat the entire purpose of this story. If I wanted Shirou to be the main in a wow story, I would write it as such. I like Saber, we need more Arturia-saber stories, this is to correct that oversight! Arturia is love! Arturia is life!

That being said... I noticed that a lot of people is asking for "No no you gotta ship Shirou and Saber!". I want to take the time out to tell you my own personal philosophy regarding fanfic writing. If I was writing an straight up actual fate stay night story, then the canon pairing might be okay. To me a personally, a canon pairing in a cross over story defeat the purpose of the story. The canon ending already happened, it was told by Type Moon itself in the last story. Had Saber not been reborn in WoW, she would have been sleeping for all eternity waiting for Shirou. After all, if the translation to the whole Last Story is correct, Saber died and kept waiting for Shirou for lord know how long.

Does that mean Saber does not love Shirou in this story? Not at all, but those who have experience first love and lost it know that while you will always recall your first fondly, whoever you ended up with made you happy.

My own personal Crossover writing philosophy is to see something new and different. I don't want the same old tired and beaten tracks. If I just end it with Shirou and Saber then that completely defeat the purpose of this fic. Nothing changed. I might as well not wrote this and we know Saber would end up with Shirou. I find it interesting that Shirou get pair a lot with different women despite still loving saber in fanfic while Saber must be regulated to Shirou no matter what.

I write this story in mind already from the get go with the intent to change that. Who she ends up with? I am undecided but it would be a WoW character. After all THEY ARE the other half of this story. I realize I am being kind of preachy but I just hate stringing people along for more reviews. If you hate the direction then I rather have you hate it now before I get into the REALLY deep part with the story.

Still, after all that I have said, I would like to say that while romance is an option, it is not the focus of this story. This story is Saber in WoW with her knights. How it change what could be... the small pebble creating a ripple spreading out. Saber is that pebble,Saber is the focus, Saber is the main character.

Finally, I do appreciate all the reviews I gotten thus far. I am thankful for it but most of it is asking when Shirou should show up or when they would eventually get together. That's not the focus of this story. I might lose a lot of readers for my take on it but it would be wrong of me to keep leading people on for what, a few more reviews?

No, my story stand or fall on it's own merits. If it suck so be it. ^_^

Once again thank you for your reading! As always C+C welcome reviews appreciated!

Pertinent Info-

Stonard- Actual WoW location and it was there since the first war. Alliance razed it to the ground... sorta in Cata.

New Marshal Keep- OC

Goblins- They are a Horde playable race. This is just a hint and teaser of why they actually joined the Horde in the second war. Goblins if I recall have a governing body called the Trade Princes. One single Trade prince joined the Horde during the Second War. That has always been kept vague.

Bronze Dragon- Chromie is an actual WoW character, the rest are made up O.C. Again Bronze are really only about preserving the timeline and will always try to keep it back on track. Case in point, they went back in time to help Arthas slaughter an entire city. Granted that city was doomed but you help him become the Lich King along with Opening the Dark portal.

Durotan- Actual Lore Character, father of Thrall. He's conflicted, he knows honor but his people's survival trumps honors every single time. Case in point, he opened the city of the Draenei so his people could sneak attack them because he remembered their special password from long ago. He didn't want to remember but when confronted with the possibility of his clan getting destroyed or giving up the password: Bye Bye Draenei.

He would be the best face of the Horde as he is honest in his desire for peace but he is being used.

Doomhammer- He's never been peace loving. He loves a good fight and is content with being second in command. It was not until his best friend died that he actually gave a damn about the whole "Horde might be poisoned." type of deal. Still didn't stop him from destroying Stormwind and launching a genocidal campaign against the Kingdoms of Lordaeron, both Humans and Elven. But he's the current Horde hero.

Khadgar- Medivh's only apprentice in canon. Medivh trained him seriously, and from that little bit of training he became the strongest mage in all of Lordaeron.

Titans- Gods of WoW, they don't show up too much yet but one of them turned evil, Sageras. That's the one in Medivh's body now. ^^


	10. Chapter 9

Warcraft belongs to Blizzard

Fate Stay Night belongs to Typemoon

Warning! This is more of a spin off instead of a direct cross with modern day Fate/ Stay Night.

Also, this fic take place during the first Orc -Human war.

Special thanks to the following in Alpha Order, Cheeser, who taught me tautology, Wayfarer with his physics and Xbox432 who stayed up an ungodly hour to finished this story. Mad respect!

Lioness of Stormwind

Chapter 9

The Beginning of the End

***** Deep within the Black Morass, Dark Portal *****

Blackhand surveyed the Horde, HIS Horde, assembled before the Dark Portal looking up at him expectantly. As far as his eyes could see, Orcs of all sizes and shapes, even Ogres, were all looking at their Warchief expectantly. Behind him was the massive structure that had brought them to this world, still open, and set to bring even more of their warriors to Azeroth. In the past two years, Durotan had played 'peacemaker' at Stonard while the Horde had been harvesting the lumber, rocks, gold, and land for their war machines. The swamp was filled with wildlife and as such, his warriors had kept themselves well fed since their initial disastrous attack.

After two years of 'peace' the Horde was once again ready to march against the Humans. Looking up at the sky, he saw the sun had started to set over his army, bathing them in a blood red light. How fitting.

"Warchief, our warriors await your words," Gul'dan, Chief Warlock of the Horde and Leader of the Shadow Council, said as he skulked away, leaving Blackhand alone on the top steps of the Dark Portal.

"HORDE!" Blackhand the Destroyer shouted and heard hundreds of thousands of roars respond. "Two years ago, the mighty Orcish Horde was stopped by the weak and pathetic pinkskins of this land!"

There was much grumbling at that statement from the Orcish forces.

"The commanders of that force have been dealt with," Blackhand informed, he knew that Gul'dan had increased his voice's volume so it could reach all the way to the back of the army. "HOWEVER, that force was WEAK, they did not have our powerful WOLF RIDERS!"

There was a loud roar from within the ranks of the Horde and sounds of dire wolves howling in the air.

"They did not have our seasoned WARRIORS from our war with the Draenei!" Blackhand boasted, hearing the roar of agreement from Orcish veterans. "They were a small rabble, not a horde. WE. ARE. THE. HORDE!"

Once again, the Orcs replied loudly at their Warchief's declaration.

"Now the Humans are much like the Draenei, but we all know what happened to the Draenei, don't we?" Blackhand asked with an evil grin. He heard the satisfied chuckle from the army. "Now they will face the full MIGHT of the Horde, they will face you and they shall FALL! LOK TAR OGAR! FOR THE HORDE!"

There was a thunderous battle cry as the Orcs and Orges replied with chanting and the stomping of their feet, causing the very ground to shake from the sheer force.

Blackhand smiled in satisfaction, there were as many Orcs as there were blades of grass, the Humans would never know what hit them.

***** Two weeks later, New Marshal's Keep ****

The rebuilt Marshal's Keep was not like its previous iteration. The old keep was a walled town with small barracks to protect it from any threats. It was accompanied by less than a thousand Stormwind soldiers that were responsible for the surrounding villages. That had failed against the Orcs.

Despite words of assurance from Durotan, the last surviving Orc Chieftain, King Adamant still had some doubts.

It was the newly titled Lady Arturia Pendragon that had voiced her misgivings about the whole peace accord. For reasons unknown to many, King Adamant valued the consul of the minor noble. Even if she was the Lioness of Stormwind, as the King had titled her, she dared to argue against the three greatest heroes of Stormwind. Yet while King Adamant acquiesced to the peace treaty and placed his faith in Llane's judgment, he decided to shore up their holdings in the Black Morass. As such, a massive project was commissioned by King Adamant to be headed by the Governor General of Redridge, Lady Mara Fordragon. Who appointed Commander Arturia Pendragon to oversee the construction of a major defensive keep, similar to Stonewind, in the Black Morass.

Now, after two years the project was finished.

Of course it was also heavily fortified, a contingent of fifty thousand soldiers comprising of knights, footman, and crossbowmen was stationed at the new keep. There were also clerics present at all times as well as a tower for conjurers to stay in. In addition to the already impressive compliment of troops, there were also defensive towers on its battlements, every two block along its walls. As such, it was the most heavily defended garrison in the Black Morass, and it was there that Commander Arturia Pendragon kept watch.

Two combatants could currently be seen on the training field near the keep. One was a Brotherhood Knight in black armor with a Knight Commander insignia on his tabard. The other a small blonde girl who was little over five foot. Her armor was different than the Brotherhood Knight's it was, in fact, different from the regular soldiers, though its color scheme was still steel colored plate with royal Stormwind blue. The sight was almost comical, with the tall, strong Brotherhood Knight warily circling the smaller blonde girl, but no one was laughing.

The Brotherhood Knight had opted to wield a shield and a long-sword to combat the smaller girl. His eyes never left her as she too circled him with her golden sword at her hip, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Suddenly the golden haired girl saw something in his stance and rushed him, the sound of her metal boots let him know she was getting closer to him.

"HAH!" the knight shouted as he charged the blonde girl. He thrust his shield forward horizontally, intending to bash the smaller girl with it when she suddenly jumped high, landing on his shield. Before his arm even had the chance to drop due to the sudden weight, the famous golden sword descended upon his head.

Saber sighed as she rode the momentum of the toppling knight to the ground. Scattered around her were other Brotherhood members lying on the field. Naturally, she had struck the knight with the flat of Caliburn, but the force had been strong enough to temporarily render him unconscious.

"Amazing Lady Pend- Arturia!" her adjutant, Cole from her old Militia, clapped. He had enlisted to serve under the Lioness once again. In fact more than half of Arturia's militia had opted to enlist under her. Everyone knew by now to avoid calling her 'Lady Pendragon.' For some odd reason, the girl did not like to be referred as such. Must have been a hold over on how she was raised in Marshal. He would feel weird too, if someone started to call him something different. In fact the only person that had seemed to be able to get away with it was King Adamant and Queen Varia. Prince Llane had called Lady Arturia by her noble name once and she had challenged him to a duel. It was one of the most skillful displays of swordsmanship that he had ever witnessed but in the end Lady Arturia had won. As the winner of the duel, she had demanded that the Prince never call her Lady Pendragon and being the loser of the duel, he agreed.

"Thank you, Cole," Saber acknowledged with a nod. She then turned her attention to the awakening Brotherhood. They were good, very good. Not as good as Lancelot though. Her knight was currently on an errand to Stormwind by request of Crown Prince Llane. Sir Lothar had been missing for the past couple of weeks, and while the Brotherhood Knights were searching for the head of their order, they had all agreed that Lancelot should take up the position and was temporarily filling in for Lothar while they searched for the Lion of Stormwind.

"Damn lass, you're brutal," Gerald the former footman at Marshal's Keep commented. He was now a footman once more at Marshal. Even after two years he was still amazed by the hardened soldiers' obedience to the little blonde girl. To him, she would always be the small, stern girl who had approached him without fear and asked for information on the history of Stormwind. Arturia had the men's hearts, and he knew they would gladly lay down their lives for her. She actively participated in various duties including patrolling with the troops, even managing to find several Troll encampments nearby. The greenskinned forest dwellers had been known to eat their prisoners, and Arturia showed little mercy when dealing with them. The blonde had razed their holdings to the ground and driven them deeper into the Black Morass forest.

"They would not respect my position otherwise," Saber stated before giving Gerald a smile. She was glad to see a familiar face. Of course there was Tiffany and Alice, two of the most sought after women in Marshal's keep, with both having blossomed into full womanhood while she remained the same. Of course she knew why she was still the same, but she did envy their figures.

Gerald smiled indulgently before walking back with the girl. "Still a sore spot with ye eh lass?" he teased and saw her blush.

Saber was joined a bit later by Tiffany, who had taken it upon herself to ensure her friend's health and well-being almost every day, despite her busy duty as a cleric. "Tiffany," she greeted as she walked back to the keep.

"Arturia," Tiffany greeted and looked at the Brotherhood Knights starting to get to their feet. "Breaking men pride I see."

"Well, someone had to show the new meat how things are done around here, right?" Gerald asked with a smirk and saw the other young woman that had joined them rolled her eyes at his comment.

"What was that they said about a lioness?" Tiffany pondered as she cupped her chin. "They are the true owner of the lion's den?"

"Aye, the pig headed Sir Knight will not be trying to tell 'Her Majesty' what to do anymore," Gerald joked. He saw the little blonde girl stiffen up before relaxing her shoulders.

Saber recalled the reason why the duel started in the first place. When Lancelot left, she had ordered his contingent of Brotherhood Knights to follow him. In returned they sent her a replacement force for Lancelot's. Of course the replacement was fresh to the Brotherhood and their commander was an older veteran who was in his forties. He had mistakenly assumed that Lancelot was the one that was in charge of the Keep and she was just the figurehead. She did not even bother arguing. Only one thing mattered to such a man. Might. This world, just like her old world, functioned on one fundamental rule: might makes right. So she challenged them, all of them. She estimated that she would need to beat the Knight Commander down one more time before he would accept her.

Unfortunately any such thoughts were grounded to a halt as a loud clamor rung from the front gate.

**GONG!**

Gerald froze mid-step and turned to look at the main gates, only to see Arturia already rushing up the battlement walls.

Tiffany saw a soldier nearby where Arturia was and, using the holy light, pulled herself closer to the man, as she followed her friend.

Saber looked up and saw the troops were already getting into battle position as the trebuchet was already rolled up into defensive formations on the ground. She proudly watched as her arbalest was manned and the towers filled with guards while rolls upon rolls of footman covered the gaps in the wall.

"Commander Pendragon!" Roland, her Captain of the Guard, shouted as he gave her a quick salute.

Returning the salute, Saber looked out from the battlement and widened her eyes, genuinely surprised. In all the battles she had fought, and she had fought many, Saber had never seen such a large force gathered in one place. She recalled that Rome had similar numbers, but even they broke them up into legions. A quick scan showed that the sea of green marching in her direction heavily outnumbered hers. She had been right, there was more out there, much more.

But how could they have so many? The Black Morass was not bigger than Stormwind Kingdom.

"Remember your training and do not be intimidated. I am here with you!" Saber shouted as she saw her men on the walls, though prepared, were rattled by the sheer numbers of Orcs marching on towards their fort. A moment later she saw Tiffany and Cole next to her. "Cole! Go to the mage tower, carry a message to Stormwind. The Orcs have broken the peace treaty, their number are in the... hundreds of thousands, and they have siege weap -!"

It was then the Orc forces did something unexpected, they split their forces off. At least one third headed deeper into the forest to her east not even bothering to approach the impressive fort. Another one third made to the edge of her walls then broke off as well, appearing to be heading for Deadwind pass. Didn't they know that Deadwind pass was heavily guarded and was a choke point? It was then she saw the final one third split into two.

Saber immediately knew what they intended to do! "Let Stormwind know that the Orcs intend on hitting us on multiple fronts." she finished as she saw the Orcs began to roll out their catapults. They intended to pin her down, with such an attacking force she could not blindly rush out to meet them. They were fighting smarter now.

"Gerald!" Saber shouted as she saw the man just arriving up the steps. "Take two thousand men and get the villagers within our walls, NOW! They intent to circumvent our defenses."

Gerald snapped a salute before running down the battlement walls while barking orders.

Saber looked at Captain of the Guard Roland. "Do we have any patrol left outside?"

"No, Commander, the rest of our patrol had returned, the next batch were about to come out now before we spotted them on the horizon." Roland answered.

Saber thought about the other Orcs and wondered why they were going deeper into the forest. Are they planning on bypassing her forces completely? Did they not know she only required a certain amount of people to man the walls? So long as the walls held she could send out strike forces to harass them from behind their lines. Was there a passage there that she didn't know about?

The Orc forces started to move quickly, as hundreds of Catapults were wheeled out in a disorderly fashion. Rocks were being loaded from the surrounding area by the Ogres.

"Here they come! Ready yourselves!" Saber shouted as she too raised her hand up to signal her own trebuchets. It was then an Orc approached closer to the front of the keep walls, and she realized that she recognized the Orc in front of her.

"Saber!" the Orc roared in challenge as it took out a familiar hammer.

"Doomhammer," Saber growled as she narrowed her eyes at the Orc. The said Orc gave the signal to attack and the keep walls were pelted with rocks the size of a man. Saber returned the favor in kind as her own trebuchet fired at the invading Orcs.

+++++ Deadwind Pass ++++++

The Brotherhood of the Horse had taken it as their personal responsibility to guard this particular pass against the Orcs in the Black Morass. They had been going about their duty when a raven flew into their headquarters and transformed into the Archmage Medivh.

"Commander Justine, where are you?" Medivh shouted in a panic.

"Archmage Medivh!" Commander Justine shouted in alarm but saluted at the panicked mage. "What is the matter?"

"An army of Orcs has somehow gotten behind the lines and are attacking the villages along the roads!" Medivh began in half hysterics looking at the Brotherhood Knight with wild eyes.

"What?!" Justine demanded in shock and outrage. "How did they get behind our lines? They would have to traverse the mountains and it is not easy, our scouts should have seen it!"

"Your scouts are dead!" Medivh replied into the Commander's face. "Quickly, they are a small force. No more than five thousand, I estimate."

"That's small?!" Commander Justine broke in. Immediately he sounded the bugler, the forces guarding the gate here was a little over five thousand. He would leave a token force of fifteen hundred here and go take care of the Orcs. Quickly doling out the orders he left in a rush with the rest.

Medivh smiled as the last of the Brotherhood Knights disappeared from his sight. Getting Gul'dan's warlocks in to summon their troops from within Deadwind itself was a stroke of genius. The endeavor to bring in five thousand Orc warriors was taxing to the entire Shadow Council but it would serve to weaken the force here for what is to come.

+++++ Red Ridge ++++

Private Keeshan, stationed at Stonewind Keep, was with his patrol down by the local villages when he heard a loud piercing scream. Alarmed, he drew his sword out and saw a stream of Orcs flooding the countryside. "ORCS!" he shouted in alarm. "EVERYONE TO THE KEEP NOW!"

Already he could see the other patrol units were starting to form up.

"Keeshan! With B group now!" a Sergeant shouted to the young recruit as he passed by. "We need to ensure the civilian's safety.

Grabbing his shield the young Private began to rally with the hundreds of Stonewind defenders even as the first Orc engaged him in combat. Taking out his long-sword he smashed the shield into the Orc's face, staggering it before stabbing his sword into its side. Yet impossibly, it didn't die, instead it bashed it head against his helmet stunning him. Next thing Keeshan knew the creature was standing over him with its axe raised. Quickly rolling to his right, he dodged the blow and picked up a nearby rock and smashed it against the Orc's face. Unfortunately that only seem to anger it some more as it roared at him.

"Come get me then, GREENIE!" Keeshan challenged as he picked his sword up again to fight the Orc. Just as he was about to engage it, several black arrow tips could be seen puncturing its body. Looking at the sources he saw groups of arbalists everywhere peppering the Orcs forces as they continued to rampage through the town.

*****A week later, Stormwind *****

Prince Llane was furious as he received the words from Commander Arturia of what had transpired. Betrayed, he turned to look at the Orc ambassador, Garona, who looked genuinely surprised by the news.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Prince Llane demanded of his friend. A friend that had betrayed him.

Garona bowed her head. "I do not know... we were supposed to live in peace... they... they've thrown me away. They expect you to kill me..." she finished in a lost voice.

Lancelot looked at on at the scene impassively. "Did you know?" he asked firmly. Her next answer would determine whether or not he'd cut her down on the spot.

"No," Garona replied closing her eyes as she then looked up to her friend. "If you want to kill me to appease your anger, then please do so, my people have betrayed me. I have nothing left."

Prince Llane studied the young Orc he considered his friend and saw the honest expression of betrayal on her face. She was even baring her throat for them to pass his judgment. Glancing at his son, Llane closed his eyes and reigned in his anger. He placed one of his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You are not responsible for your people's actions."

"Thank you," Garona whispered gratefully.

"And you were wrong about having nothing left," Llane continued on at his Orc friend. "You still have friends, like me for example," he finished with a smile.

Lancelot turned to look at Prince Llane. "May I have your permission to go assist Commander Arturia, my liege?" he half pleaded. His King was once more in combat without him by her side!

"We shall go to Commander Pendragon's aid," Prince Llane confirmed with a grin. Arturia was not here to take issue with him. Pendragon was a good strong name, even his father thought so, why was she so against it? Just as he was as about to make a declaration for mobilization, another mage burst into the throne room.

"Prince Llane! Redridge is under heavy attack from Orc forces! Lady Mara Fordragon has requested reinforcements from Stormwind and Marshal's Keep!" the man announced, looking at the Prince.

The news surprised both men. The Orcs were attacking on two fronts? "Send a message to Westfall and Sunnyglade, we are going to need their forces if we are to push the damned Orcs back, we'll make them regret their decision," Prince Llane ordered.

It was then a familiar raven entered the room and transformed back into the Archmage Medivh. "Your Highness! I bring ill tidings!" he immediately said without preamble.

"What is it?" Llane asked, looking at his friend alarmed.

"The Orcs have invaded Sunnyglade," Medivh informed somberly.

"THREE FRONTS?!" Llane shouted as he went over the territory in his head. "How did they get past the Brotherhood?"

"They had a powerful mage with them, he cast a spell that destroyed the fortifications to Deadwind pass," Medivh answered. "They have pushed the Brotherhood back to Karazhan but not before the civilians made it inside. I have warned Sunshire and Grand Hamlet on my way here. But I fear I could not do much more for them now."

Prince Llane saw that the nobles of the court looked unsettled by the tidings. It seemed Stormwind was now at war.

"Should we tell your father, Prince Llane?" Lord Westmoore of Westfall asked. He had already sent messengers to ride hard for Westfall to get his forces ready.

"No," Llane decided after a few minutes of reflection. He looked to each of the nobles in the room. "We must take care of this issue ourselves and not bother my father about it. He's been bedridden these past few weeks and my mother has not left his side. We WILL not bother him about this."

All of the nobles nodded in agreement, they would not disturb the ill King with such news. "It is as you say, Prince Llane, perhaps we are to convene the war council. Even if they invade our lands, if we blunt their attacks we can beat them back," Westmoore suggested as the other nobles nodded.

"Sir Lancelot, I will need you here, Commander Arturia will have to fend for herself," Prince Llane said suddenly. "Until we find Lothar, you will be our liaison for the Brotherhood."

Lancelot gripped his fist tightly but nodded. He would have preferred to be at his King's side but he knew that Arturia would be extremely displeased if he were to abandon his duty to Stormwind and rushed to her aid. Still, it didn't make it easier.

"It would be as you command, Your Highness," Lancelot acknowledged.

Medivh smiled as the nobles geared up for war with his friend. With Lothar out of the picture, no one could stop his plans. Though destroying the barricade at Deadwind Pass was taxing on his body, the Orc forces had overrun that position easily with such a wide gap in the Brotherhood's defenses.

+++++ Redridge +++++

Varok and Broxigar smiled at the Humans abandoning their settlements and fled to their giant stone structure in the distance. The back route they traveled to Redridge had been discovered by Gul'dan's magic. At least that's what the crafty old Warlock said. Who knew how the High Warlock obtained his information? They had gone deeper into the forest, away from the golden demoness' massive stone fort and traveled the narrow beaten pathway only to emerge in a totally defenseless pinkskin settlement.

Varok would give them there due though, their defenders did give them a decent fight, those defenders were all dead now. Broxigar wanted to push on, but Doomhammer's orders were to build a base here right in front of them. The pink skins fought well behind stone walls. But let's see how well they do after he built a base of operations of his own.

Chuckling, Varok grinned as his peons already set to work on deforesting the local area. "For the Horde..."

++++ Sunnyglade +++++

Blackhand smiled as his forces raided the unsuspecting towns and butchered their populace, their screams were not unlike the Draenei when they were killed. Though he took credit for this method of attack, it was Doomhammer who decided that this would not be a swift war but a war for conquest. They needed to break each and every single hub of power the pinkskins held if they were to be successful.

So they would need to build bases, have the peons harvest the farm lands, feed the army and settle before striking out again. Once they had established bases of operations, they would strike from anywhere and secure the land. The Humans had proved resilient in the past, and though he was loath to admit it, the fact that they used a little over twenty thousand to destroy his force of fifty thousand had irked him. Now he would wipe them out town by town and herd them toward their major cities. Then he would destroy those cities and butcher them down to the last male, female, and youngling.

Yes, all will fall before Blackhand the Destroyer.

For the Horde.

++++++++ Black Morass +++++

Doomhammer had volunteered to keep the golden haired demoness in check with his forces. Hers was a mighty fortification and one that would not be easily taken. No, he would have to take it slowly to defeat her. Unlike most of his brethren, he was always smarter in the use of strategy and tactics. He needed to bring this fort down or else the golden demon could take this army and break his forces. Thus far, all they had been doing were exchanging rocks with one another. There was no need to send in warriors yet, not until he had sufficiently weakened the structure's stone wall with constant bombardment.

Blackhand had not believed that the little demon was dangerous and the Warchief had intended to leave only a token force here to distract her. Surprisingly, his support came from the most unexpected of places, Gul'dan. The Chief warlock had taken his side and volunteered a sizable force of his warlocks to help keep the little golden haired demon in check. The one who identified herself as... Saber.

They had underestimated the pinkskins the first time around. The Draenei were as big as his fellow orcs, they deserved respect with their great physical strength. A long campaign was needed to wipe out the Draenei. These pinkskin were smaller so they should have fallen like the weak Arakkoa but they had fought back hard. They were worthy of the same respect as the Draenei in terms of combat at least. But like the Draenei, it was inevitable that they would fall and when they did, he would take the little golden demon's head and mount it on a spear as a trophy. After all, she was a worthy trophy and he would take her head, for the Horde.

+++++ Stormwind, Royal Quarter ++++

King Adamant woke up and knew something had changed. He had ruled this kingdom for over forty years and he could sense its mood as surely as one could sense something wrong with one's body. He wanted to go out and demand what was going on, for someone to answer him. But he could not even muster the strength to do so. Though his spirit was strong, his body was not and it was here that the mighty heart of King Adamant III beat its last.

Years later, this would become known by the Humans of Azeroth as the First Great War.

**End of Book 1**

AN: First off major thanks to all three of my editors who ganged tackled this fic as if it was the superbowl. Seriously, for those who read my earliest iteration of this fic, it was HORRIBLE. Cheeser, Wayfarer and Xbox432 made this as good as it could be, for that they have my eternal gratitude! ^_^

Now then.

This is the end. This entire thing was one gigantic prologue to simply establish Arturia before the real story began. What happens next will be jarring, so jarring that people might go "WTF!" And abandon ship. But it has always been my intention to write it that way. I realize that I might disappoint a lot of people who were expecting one thing and getting a different animal but it is what it is.

So, the Second Arc will be posted as a new story. The title is undecided as I am still going over it with my editor, I guess people would just have to look out for it ^_^ .

Pertinent info

Arakkoa – Bird people in Draenor, the Orc Homeworld.

Doomhammer - Always shown to be a tactician and a warrior.

Blackhand - Shown to be cunning, also a great warrior.

Lothar Kidnapping- Canon, in the WC1 Campaign, he was kept imprisoned by Medivh for two years.

Varok and Broxigar- Actual Orc character, skilled warriors.

Westmoore, Knights and others, - Original Character.

Once again, thanks to all of those that have reviewed thus far, remember what I said though, Saber take center stage in this story. I am glad many enjoyed it while other's were vocal about their passionate plead. I am glad the story was interesting enough to make you guys sit up and take noticed.

As always, C+C welcomed, reviews appreciated.


	11. Notice

Per my Editor suggestion. Posting the notice here also to alert the readers. The Sequel to the Story is up under:

_**Lioness of Stormwind: War of Kings**_


End file.
